Sawin'

Last month, I was so excited to get a new tool that I had been drooling over for quite a while...a jeweler's saw. I'm really glad I bought it. I've been enjoying it so much, it really opens up some new design ideas for me. Look and see:

Suffering For My Art

We've all heard the old cliche about someone "suffering for their art". I think I experienced that this weekend when I was working on these earrings, my "I Heart Silver" sterling silver earrings. It's been pretty recently that I started using a disc cutter, and I love it, because instead of paying for silver or copper blanks, I can buy sheet (and get more material for less money). It's so much more convenient, as well as being more economical. I've noticed, though, that I tend to get a little "lip" or a burred edge on most of the discs I'm cutting. Not a huge problem, since I can file it smooth, but I want to learn how to do it perfectly the first time! I had been making LOTS of medium-force taps, so I though maybe I would get a smoother edge if I hit the hammer LESS times, but HARDER. On my 3rd hard swing, I missed the steel die completely and hammered my thumb instead. Oh, did it hurt; it was the kind of pain that makes you feel nauseous for a while. I just sort of sat there and let the pain wash over me in waves. When I felt like I could breathe again, I looked at my poor little digit and discovered it was bleeding quite a bit. I got a Band-aid on it, and it was ok, although I still wonder if I should have gone for stitches. There's a cut on the side of my thumb in the perfect shape of an "L". It's swollen and tender, but I think I will survive. So much for LESS, HARDER hits. :-)

So if anyone out there reads this post and knows how to cut discs from silver or copper, and knows how to NOT get that little edge along the side, please comment. I'd love to hear your advice!!

Yes, I know, unethical....

If you've ever visited my Etsy shop and read my profile, you already know this: I started making my own jewelry because I couldn't afford to buy all the lovely jewelry that I saw in Sundance catalog. You might say that I fell in love with the jewelry, but not with the prices. Well, putting that info in there has turned out to be a good thing: I have a customer who read that and asked me if I could make her a pair of earrings similar to these in Sundance:

So pretty...faceted labradorite coins dangling from sterling wires, under limb-shaped beads...$215 - OUCH! It took a few weeks of convo-ing back and forth and browsing for just the right beads and earwires. And I couldn't have done it without Laura Staley, who made the limb beads for me out of Precious Metal Clay (I hope to learn that skill this summer...). Here is the final product:


I think they turned out pretty darn good, especially considering that the final price for the customer was $25!!! Just about 90% less than what the originals cost!!

And the best part (for me, anyway) is that even though she hasn't even received the earrings yet, she has already commissioned me to copy another pair...

Moss aquamarine, citrine, pearl, sterling silver...$88...stay tuned for the outcome!!!

New Stuff!

Here are the 2 latest additions to my shop. What do you think?

Amethyst Drops















and... Cheerful Earrings

I'm back!

I haven't been around for a while...getting ready for the end of the school year, trying to keep up with Etsy, not to mention 3 kids...you know how it goes.


One of the joys of Etsy is the ability to trade with other artisans. It's exciting to sell your creations for money, but I personally think it's more fun to trade for other cool stuff. I have traded for an afghan and a bowl, and then a few weeks ago, another jewelry artist contacted me about trading. My first thought was, "Why would I want to trade jewelry for jewelry? I could just make it myself!" But I quickly changed my mind when I saw her shop! Ositarose makes the most gorgeous earrings. And they're all under $20! She has a very romantic style- colorful, sparkly, and feminine.

Take a look at the beauties I got:

These are the "Pixie Garden" earrings. Aren't they great?








And these are "Turquoise Vintage Petite". Pretty, right??

She even sent me another free pair as a gift. I thought that was so sweet of her! They all came in dainty little organza bags, and all of them are very well-made. If you get a chance, please visit her shop!

April 1, 2009 #2

These are the latest addition to my Etsy shop: Tourmaline Drop Earrings. I have had these little beauties for a while, but tourmalines are kinda close to my heart, so I had been holding onto them. Finally, I decided that I was ready to let them go, and here are the result.