6/52 Chain Sampler

I had fun making this! It's a conglomeration of various different links I've been working on. I've made it into a sampler as I will be to teaching this as a one day workshop :) Some links are made with just silver wire, some just silver clay and some are a combination of the two. Some are based on links I've used in challenge pieces already this year (can you see there was a cunning plan there???). Here is a photo of some of those chains. I really love the 'coral' beads here (well really it is the more environmentally friendly dyed sea bamboo).

I think I'll be adding to the Sampler Chain as I go along. I already have ideas for more varieties of chain links!

Making chains has really taken me back to revisit my past though. Many moons ago, before I ever encountered metal clay, I used to make enamelled jewellery and handmade chains as a hobby. Chain making can be a repetitive task and does require patience, but I always found it really therapeutic. Soldering lots of silver rings, forming the links, assembling the whole chain - I loved the whole process. The thrill of holding a finished handmade chain is still there!! ;)

I went searching back and found these photos from about 12 years ago of some of the silver chains I used to make.

The challenge now for me is to incorporate metal clay more and more into my chain making, and I'm liking the mix of traditional and modern techniques!

Have fun!

Joy x

Bird a Month 10/12 - Peacock Splendour

 

OK, I am on catch up now :) Long time no blog, (bad blogger - wrist slapped!) and I have challenges to get up to date with!!

 

So first of all my Bird a Month Challenge. Here is my piece for last month, I've called it Peacock Splendour (for obvious reasons!).

 

It is a fine silver pendant made using Art Clay Silver and has Enamelled Accents and an aquamarine cz stone.

 

This is one of two pieces I have recently made using QuikArt Ultralite templates from Metal Clay Supply in the USA. These templates are designed to allow you to save clay but I ended up using them a different way to create texture plates and I am quite pleased with the outcome. I post more about how I used them in the future.

 

Below is another piece made the same way. I have called this one Rainbow Zing as it is so bright and colourful :) 

 

Next I will get my Four a Month Challenge back up to date, and then I can make my pieces for this month!

 

Still, I guess it is better to be too busy than bored!! ;)

 

Have fun!

 

Joy

Bird a Week 42/52 - Avian Thimble

Somebody asked me recently if I ever made silver thimbles and you know I never have, so I decided to see if I could make one. This was my second attempt, the first never got as far as being fired so will be reconstituted back to silver clay.

 

 

I will not be going into mass production of them as they are a bit fiddly but if this one sells once it is hallmarked I think I will make a few more as it was quite fun to do and it is nice to make something that is not jewellery occasionally.

 

Here is the Haiku

Sitting on the round
Silhouette with spring blossoms
Avian Thimble

I have been busy fixing dates for next year for some Masterclasses I have been asked to teach in the UK. I will tell you more about them in my next blog post but if you can't wait then pop over to Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery where I will be teaching two brand new workshops next March :)

Zingyness and a Sheep!

Well, these two could not be much more different could they?

Firstly, above is a new Discoidal Ring. I have called this one Zingyness, for obvious reasons!

The second one is another piece of Joyful Jewellery with a cute sheep on it. The piece is called - wait for it - A Bit Sheepish. How original is that! :))

I will be teaching both of these are styles as workshops soon so watch this space for details ......

 

Bird a Week 40/52 - Having a Hoot!

As promised here is the second bird for this week so I am now totally back up to date with my Bird a Week Challenge.

I am in a bit of a comical mode at the moment and I really enjoyed making this one. As I played around with the wires for the owl I could get all kinds of comical faces and was sitting giggling away. Lovely to be enjoying my work so much!!

The back is a geometric design so the piece can be worn wither way round.

Haiku

Wide eyed little owl

With your cute expression

I'm having a hoot!

Bird a week 39/52 - Wot... No Fish?

Yay, now I am almost back up to date again. Today I made this fine silver brooch with enamel.

This one is back in the more humorous vein! I think it is also one of my favourites of the year so far. Living in a seaside town we see a LOT of seagulls!

We have a beach fishing fleet where the boats are launched off the beach and hauled back up again each day so there are always loads of gulls around the Old Town of Hastings. 

It is quite small measuring 24mm x 42mm.

Here is the Haiku

Sitting by the sea

Waiting for returning boats

Wot.. no fish today?



Wot... No Bird? and Discoidal Rings!

Where is the bird then Joy? I know I can hear you saying it. Sorry my regular bird watchers but last week got a bit busy and I got a bit side tracked!

I was making a new design of ring. I don't make many enamelled rings and for a good reason. Rings can be bashed about a bit in wearing and enamel does not like being bashed. My new Discoidal rings have enamel in a recessed area to help protect it and they have pretty fired in place stones and lovely textured ring bands.

So far I have completed two with more to come.

This one I have called Creative Mists......

 ...... and this one is called Shimmering Hot.

So the BAD news is that I did not finish my Bird a Week for last week, but the GOOD news is....

This week I will be making TWO birds so I am caught up again (and no, not one pair of earrings - no cheating here!).

Watch this space for two birdie blog posts before the end of this week. ;-)