11/04/2013

Design Files - Jewelrymaking, My Designs

11/04/2013
Design Files - My Jewelry Designs
Just over a year ago I began this blog and over the course of the year the look and the feel has evolved. In the beginning you want to write about and highlight every interest you have, posting as often as you can.
Here is the first post I wrote describing and illustrating my jewelry.
Unfortunately, with my varied and different interests, you begin to burn out by trying to cover all the topics. At last I think I've hit a balance and thoroughly enjoy curating what the web has to offer in the way of needlework ideas and building on that.
Another deep passion I've had just about all my life is making jewelry, from friendship bracelets to metalwork. I've run the gamut of making jewelry for friends and hosting jewelry parties. Sadly, like any handmade creation, unless you have gone through the process, you do not realize just how much work is involved.
Jewelry can be anything you wear for adornment. I've worked with all different mediums, love them all and continue to make and remake pieces when the desire and inspiration hits.
What is particularly effective is adding vintage parts I've collected to the mix. Plastic, glass, semi-precious stones, yarn; it's all good!
Polymer clay is a lot of fun and can be used for projects you create with your children.
Molds are readily available but so many interesting textures can be pressed onto the clay. Interesting caps and bails for stones, especially slabs, can be molded and then glued for extra strength
Great tutorials - Polymer Clay Smooshers a group of artists and crafters who work with or incorporate polymer clay into their work. Lots of fun, free tutorials for both the beginner and the more advanced crafter.
Copper enamelling can be as simple as covering a piece of precut copper with fine powdered glass and baking the enamel onto the metal.
A more complex process is cloisonné, where thin wire is laid in a design onto a surface and each compartment is filled with a different powder.
Great intro tutorial - Copperheart Designs, an excellent article with illustrations showing the process of enamelling.
These are some of my favourite pieces to wear, both from an aesthetic point of view and the memories of excitement during the learning process.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing information about jewelry

    Cleaning Jewellery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nancy,
      Hope the sites inspire you...also check out my board "Carrying a Torch for Creating Jewelry"...I try to pin a lot of very helpful info and sites for a variety of types of jewelry

      Delete