Once more for luck

Almost impossible to photograph earrings

I know I said it was the end of the herringbone but I had these funky orange and blue beads and this orange and blue wire. What's a girl to do?

Other than get some stuff in her MISI shop - maybe I'll be in time for the January sales.

Herringbone and the rest

Moonstone and steel pendant

Finally the other half got a piece of jewellery. He doesn't wear it as a rule but had a hankering for something. I think this moonstone pencil, or point as my mate Aims calls them, wrapped in steel on a leather thong is interesting yet manly a bit like himself.  Moonstone is said to offer protection while travelling at night so maybe something else to add to the flashing lights and hi vis jacket when he is coming home from Uni on his bike.

Agate and copper pendant

Of course envy set in and I had to have one too this is agate wrapped in copper. Strong but slightly more feminine I feel (no I didn't day it). This is good for warding off storms and controlling inner anger apparently so it might stop me giving shouty drivers the hi vis finger when I am cycling with my bright yellow gloves on.

Necklace - Orange enamel donut catseye glass beads
 herringbone weave copper wire

Another of my enamel donuts that were waiting for me to come up with the right technique. Yes this is where the herringbone bit starts, perhaps the title should have been The Rest and Herringbone. Its teamed up with zingy orange catseye effect glass beads. Perhaps I should have the whole piece of jewellery in mind when I start enamelling but that is not the Breezy Way.

Necklace - Glass marble and jasper beads
herring bone weave copper wire

And this is where the herringbone ends . . . probably . . .  with these marble glass beads interspaced with jasper. No stories of artistic angst to go with this I saw beads,  I liked them,  I bought them,  I wrapped them that is also the Breezy Way.

Herringbone a bit more

Wire wrapped earrings

Not quite part two but a bit more than part one.

I tried to get a pic of the back of these as they are fascinating the way the wire wraps round the back snuggling the beads into sort of a hammock.

reverse herringbone earrings

Doesn't quite capture what I see but maybe that's because the "snuggle factor" is all in my mind.

Can't decide if I should leave the copper bright or darken them. Ah decisions decisions.

That's it then not worthy of a whole part but I rather wanted to share. All together now . . .aaaah

Herringbone part one

Enamel donut with wirework bale and chain

This does not necessarily mean there will be a part two you understand so don't be holding your breath.

I've been playing around with herringbone weave this week. I'm not quite done with it yet, I still have a few ideas kicking around in my head that I'd like to try out.

This necklace uses an enamel donut I made ages ago and loved but I never quite found the right combo that made it into a something.

It has been looking at me from the slide pockets I stick up on the wall to keep half thought out things, doodles, near misses and "I like it but have no idea where I am going with this" things.

Anyway, I did some herringbone weave on the blue & orange crackle beads. Then off I went wondering what would happen if I didn't weave round a bead and while testing that idea to destruction came up with the herringbone bale based around a tiny copper bead.

Et voila! a necklace and a lot of scrap wire. Good job I use copper.

Just as soon as I manage to take some decent photos of it,  I'll sweep away the cobwebs in my MISI shop and put it up for sale.

Golden Brown

Wirework necklace and bracelet brown

Still wrapping and coiling over here.

This is a necklace and bracelet set I am making for someone at work. She really liked the black and white crackle glass beads on the pendant I made for myself but wanted something like the chain but in brown (there's always one isn't there) .

Anyway because I'd ordered smaller beads and because the brown was more of a dark amber and  just didn't have the oomph of the black and clear I've added some coil beads in a chocolate brown wire.

I've only lightly patinated the copper this time so the overall effect is sort of a rusty colour perfect for a redhead.

It's fairly understated to wear with a suit at work but the clear part of the crackle beads just throws off the odd sparkle as they catch the light.

Now to master herringbone for some rather funky blue and orange crackle glass beads I just couldn't resist when I ordered these. Oh and then there's the brown/blue marble effect beads. Shopping it's really dangerous.

Winding round and round and

Wrapped enamel pendant 1st go

I'm still working my way through Abby Hook's book this pendant wrap was based on her sea urchin design.

My first attempt didn't really gel looking too heavy for the enamel piece which is due to me wanting to adapt the design so I could use my enamels and using the wire I had on hand which is heavier than the one recommended. Neither did it really hold my enamel secure as it was a domed piece rather than a true cabochon.

Wrapped enamel pendant

After sleeping on it I took off the beads and folded four of the prongs round the back then added more tiny copper beads for a much lighter look which also hold my enamel securely (which is nice). I've teamed it up with a wrapped link chain I made from some crackle beads I took a fancy to ages ago and never got round to using. I have to admit it's not perfect so I'll be keeping it for myself (shame :) )

Note to self get a stand that doesn't look like someone tried to hack its head off.

After a dry spell . . . shopping

Agate and autumnal spiral beads

Can you tell I got a coiling thingy? What gave it away? Bought some coloured craft wire to play with at the same time. Oh you guessed that too?

Well sometimes shopping is required to get the creative juices flowing you know

The first bracelet I have made for a friend's birthday so ssshhhh. I rather liked the autumnal mix of colours but I have darkened the copper slightly since this photo.

The second one, well just because the crysocolla beads went so nicely with the blue and greeny blue wire and I needed some more practice on the wrapped links. Yes I've managed all this time without ever quite getting the knack of them (ssshhh on that too) That one I've darkened quite a lot.

Chrysocolla and spiral beads

The design was inspired by Abby Hook's book Wire Jewellery Masterclass though she uses a much fancier clasp arrangement. I was just glad to finally make something that didn't stink.

Mostly making a mess

But at least I've spread out from my corner.

Weaving wire has been my obsession for the last couple of weeks and no I've nothing to show for it other than various half finished bits of rubbish and twisted bits of wire. Don't let the picture fool you the cuff only just curves round my wrist to a general tangle, and lets face it hardly groundbreaking stuff.

Ho hum

I'll report back when I have something I'm proud of or when I'm struggling with another thing I've flitted of to

A room of my own

Finally . . .

I have somewhere to work now we have moved.

Only problem is I find myself taking up one little corner just as I was in my brother's kitchen. I guess it will take me a while to make it my own space.

The cats have no problem, what was going to be my photography area near the window has already been designated a cat viewing platform and being that we are in the back bedroom it's a perfect tree height for watching the comings and goings of the neighbours and birds flying by. Not to mention catching a few rays of morning sunlight.


As well as the cats I have to have some of TS's books and a few boxes we still have to get round to unpacking 


All I have to do now is get making :) Now that is the tricky bit

Light and shade

Vintage czech glass drop with fossil jasper beads

Polymer clay beads with "catseye" glass and copper coils

Between the etching . . . . yes more coiling copper. The first necklace, unusually for me, is designed around something I bought, the czech glass drop, I just had to have them they looked so gothy and mysterious. Is it a poison bottle or a scrying crystal? Feminine and a bit on the dark side I think. In another departure this is longer hangs about mid chest.










And the blue well its brighter kind of an Aegean skies and seas feel to bring out the inner Greek goddess.

Tit for tat

etched copper earrings £10

Cos when I post to my other blog it always reminds me of this one.

The etching experiments are going on (still) but starting to produce things I want to use.

These earrings were electro-etched (is that a word?) using nail polish as a resist. I like the way it allows the etching to spread I'm sure there is a word for that too rather than perfect protection and crisp lines.

It gives them the look of something ancient I think

A bit like a coiled spring

polymer clay copper coils and glass cats eyes £35

Yes I know it's been a while I'm still experimenting you see on and off.

In the off I went back to my neverending obsession with the copper coils and combined them with random wool type polymer beads for these versions of my Spring Green necklace without the green.

Then riffed a bit on the coil theme to make some earring dangles than turned into charms for a coil bracelet.

Oh and I got the book the bracelet is sitting on as a freebie from Making Jewellery Magazine which was nice.

The experiments in electroforming have a long way to go yet

I'm melting warts n all

saltwater etch 1

enamel attempt 1

 While I wait for the scrapings from my fridge to melt to give me an approximation of distilled water for this week's round of experiments I thought I'd share last weeks with you.

First of all I need to credit The Steampunk Workshop for the excellent technical info on how to do the etching. So above is the first piece of my bracelet to be after a few hours of etching. I used the press n peel circuit board paper as a resist for the design and on the back some metal laquer that I had lying about. In typical Breezy fashion the etch is not really deep enough for what I had in mind but I was desperate to get on with it. The result being the rather crap bit of enamelling you see here where I wasn't able to build it up to get a nice finish without going over the lines (am I being too technical?). BUT I learnt some useful stuff along the way which is what it's all about (life lessons now get me). The first thing being leave the black stuff on when you've finished it's far easier to see to cut round than copper on copper.

So . . . second verse

I went too far

 A bit of carelessness with the laquer on the back. Combined with a bit of an afternoon nap. And . . .  just a tad on the deep side in places.

Lets hope for third time lucky folks

Electric Dreams

I don't like to do things by halves so the saltwater etching & enamelling has now developed into a saltwater etching, enamelling and electroforming project.

I'm creating marvellous stuff in my head so can't wait till all my supplies arrive and I can set up my kitchen laboratory.

Peapod Earrings

Meanwhile have this picture of something I made earlier that has absolutely nothing to do with any of the above.

Other than the fact that they are enamel on copper (damn! should have picked out a polymer clay picture).

New Skills

Doodly Fishes

Ages ago I got CorelDraw but never really got round to learning how to use it but, inspired by the gallery on Grains of Glass, I've decided to try my hand at etching some pieces and enamelling them.

I went on the browse looking at various techniques and decided on press and peel paper as a resist with saltwater etching (which I've done before but with not very permanent permanent marker as a resist) .

So . . . I needed some images to print and because I like to use my own  stuff I thought I'd better learn to make my own images.

I've done a lot of scribbling so far and tried to familiarise myself with the various tools and got a bit captivated by the calligraphy pen. I don't think my little shoal of fishes will work out well for enamelling but I do like their smiley faces.

Tricksy Red

Red Enamel Heart Earrings Sold

I am so so pleased with these earrings and someone who hasn't played with enamel will probably be wondering why.

Well it's because they are red you see and I can hear you saying "well yes I can see that" or words to that effect. But it is their very redness that is wonderful getting red enamel is not the tricky part you can buy it from anybody who sells enamel but keeping it red, for me at least, that's the tricksy part.

It goes into the kiln red but some distraction like cat tomfoolery happens and it comes out just ten seconds too late and a very fetching shade of bronzy brown which is actually overfired red. Attractive enough but not red. These are RED

Inspiration

Sunrise Robin Hoods Bay December

Winter Shore Necklace Random Wool Series £20

As the profile says I love colour but I don't usually go seeking inspiration deliberately. I make things combining colours as they occur to me then later in will dawn on me (dawn get it?) where that particular combination came from







I'm sure I have told you why these necklaces are part of the "Random Wool" series. OK since you ask I will tell you again. Its because the way the colours blend as I extrude the clay remind me of the wool I always go for when decide to knit. The kind where it changes colour throughout the ball. Trouble is I then obsess as I have to see as soon as possible what kind of pattern comes out and  knit till my shoulder cramps up. Better stick to the clay then

and another set

enamel and fine silver foil on copper strung on jasper  and glass cube beads 

£35

 This is the second of the earring and pendant sets I made. I've used gemstone beads again, this time jasper plus some little glass cubes.

The silver foil is fine (ie pure) siver and it bonds with the enamel during firing.

The photos are a little dark as Dora decided to "help" by batting one of my lamps onto the floor and breaking it. I can't help but think it was in revenge for being shooed out of the light box

enamel and fine silver foil on copper £10

Cuff I'm Chuffed

Brass Anticlastic Cuff with Flowers £35

I was a bit thrilled this weekend to have this cuff selected as a featured photo on the Grains of Glass website.

I joined to learn more about enamelling and for them to see something in my work (OK for a beginner?) had me dancing round the kitchen.

If you love enamel check out the site the gallery is a delight I honestly can not imagine reaching the levels of skill displayed there ever. Well not unless I can turn the clock back thirty (and then some) years and start again

Right thats the Oscar speech over.

Back to earth with a bang tonight as usual Monday evening after the beginning of a week at the day job and I'm good for nothing. Ah well.

Two in a row

Tuquoise green and chestnut brown enamel on copper with chrysocolla
Earrings £12 Pendant £35

So here I am again, how about that? Two days in a row.

The enamels here were made with the chrysocolla beads in mind as I've always thought they would go really well with copper. Of course they are in my new favourite shape too.

I don't often make sets/suites of jewellery except for my friend who likes to co-ordinate her look perfectly probably because I'm a bit more thrown together myself.

To be honest they remind me of chocolate limes which is perhaps why the minute I finished them I baked some fairy cakes they look good enough to eat though I say it myself as shouldn't. I wouldn't recomend it though

So as I was saying

I am going to keep posting pics as I make stuff for the craft fair yeah right.

Enamel on copper with copper coils and wooden beads
£35

The picture taking is frankly taking a back seat to the jewellery making which is why I'm not getting my new stuff on MISI either
So OK it's not the best picture but it's my new shape I am playing with at the moment. I don't actually know what it is called I call them donuts but it would be a pretty drunken baker who sited the hole like that.

Enamel on copper polymer clay
and wood beads £35

So there you go the mystery shape with the coils that I am still obsessing over as they are just so damn versatile (did I say that in the last post?).

And another without a coil in sight oh OK except for the spirally bit in the middle but another rubbish pic

must try harder, must try harder . . . . .

Springing back into action

Spring green necklace £35

It was such fun doing the craft show but such a relief when it was over too that I was in two minds about doing the next one on 1st March. But I decided to go for it so now its full throtle making again.

This is the first new design for the show but it does bring together a lot of ideas I have incorporated into other pieces. I feel like I am building a library of techniques and elements to use in my designs now.

So its copper coils and cages and green polymer clay beads where I tried to mix bright fresh greens with some green catseye effect beads discovered in my stash that echo the lines in the copper and polymer nicely.

I'm going to try keep the blog updated with my makes for the craft show but already I feel like there are just not enough hours in the day