Category Archives: Necklaces

Fluttering By

March 26, 2010 Karen

Where are the butterflies? It’s Spring; my nose itches from the pollen that is everywhere; the redbud tree outside our widow is blooming; so, I’m thinking butterflies. I haven’t seen any. I read that the Monarch butterflies in particular don’t migrate until about October and I do recall seeing a plethora of them after school begins in the Fall. I feel sure that I’ll be seeing butterflies fluttering around the lantana before long, but in the mean time, I thought I’d add a few to my designs in anticipation of their arrival. Several weeks ago I made a necklace with a single copper wire butterfly stationed on one side of the asymmetrical piece. Yesterday, I decided they should flutter in groups and added three to a piece.

While the photo is too small to show the detail, I managed to put some copper beads on the wings of the larger specimen. I’m thinking that colored beads might be more attractive on flutterer. The butterfly at the top of the piece looks as though it might just take wing and escape! I guess it’s that butterfly that I always hoped would land on my shoulder. I’ve also added some small pewter butterflies to earrings and they fluttered off the sale table with good speed. A bracelet did the same. Let’s hope the three in the pictured necklace also find a happy home. I’d like to be graceful like a butterfly. Sometimes I feel as though I’m fluttering my wings as fast as I can, but not going anywhere. Butterflies demonstrate grace as they exert this same energy. I do note, however, that they take a break fairly often on a flower or branch. Maybe I should consider this and remember to occasionally pause and redirect my “fluttering”. I supposed it’s worth a try. (where did I leave my coffee cup?)

Bracelets, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques

Rivet . . . Rivet . . .

March 21, 2010 Karen

I’ve been riveting all weekend and I’m still not very good at it. Intrigued by the look of my new bracelet design, I felt that surely if I made several of them I would get faster at riveting. Alas, this has not yet been the case. I guess this would be a good time to also work on patience. Each piece of ornamentation on these bracelets is attached with wire rivets and I do like the way they look.

The metal for the top and the bottom bracelets was “touched by fire” to give it color variation while the middle bracelet’s rectangular shapes were not treated with the torch.

Some of the difficulty in riveting occurs when the circular pieces are domed. I’m still not sure whether to dome and then rivet or vice versa. Either way is a little tricky.

I’m also trying some pendants using the same technique. Although it’s difficult to see in the photo below, the pieces of the necklace pendant say faith, hope and love. I was trying to capture the look of a mobile when I selected the double hanger for this pendant.

I was working on the bird pendant at our wire workers meet up and exclaimed out loud “I can’t get this bird to rivet!” The clever lady next to me said, “it’s not supposed to. It isn’t a frog.” Eventually, the bird DID rivet.

I plan to keep practicing. Keep your fingers crossed that my riveting skills improve. I think it would be pretty tacky to have to resort to glue!

Earrings, Necklaces, Wire Work

Chain, Chain, Chain

March 18, 2010 Karen 1 Comment

. . . chain of fools . . . I can’t help but hope that I’m not a fool for having purchased three complete spools of silver plated chain. I usually get it by the foot and then when I get home I can’t figure out anything cool to do with it. The chain usually ends up becoming part of the extender for a lobster clasp. So, in a moment where “the devil made me do it”, I bought the bullet and am so far thankful for my action. I’m having the best time using chain and finding multiple ways to incorporate it into the designs.

Pictured herein are just a few of the pieces incorporating the chain. The first necklace pictured includes the earrings hanging on the side. The beads are inexpensive dyed magnesite heishi beads.

The purple piece is also dyed magnesite and the photo makes it look a bit washed out. The nuggets are really a nice color. The butterfly and flower charms are pewter.

The final picture displays a heavier piece, again made from dyed magnesite. I thought these big nuggets were odd at first, but they are beginning to grow on me.

I’ve also fashioned multi strands of just chain into necklaces that may be layered with other things. Now I’m thinking . . . BELTS!

Am I a fool to no longer think I MUST purchase sterling silver chain? The newer plated chain has come a long way and I need to go along with it. While there are still those who will only purchase true silver, I’m beginning to think that many of my customers want to look good while saving their pennies. Here’s hoping magnesite and plated silver chain works for them. Chain, chain, chain . . .

Color, Necklaces, Wire Work

Bursts of Spring

March 14, 2010 Karen

Hooray! I think it’s Spring and time to use all those pastel beads that have been patiently waiting through the winter months. The first photo shows shell coin beads that I’ve enjoyed working with. In other pieces, I’ve strung them with wire links, made a four strand necklace of many colors and used them on silver chain. Putting them against garments, they seem to work with most of the summery things, even those that don’t contain these specific colors.

Dyed magnesite is vivid this year and I must silence my mother’s words when she asks “isn’t that pretty heavy?” Using chain with these colorful nuggets helps to lighten them and they are fun to wear. In addition to the necklace shown, I strung these with wire connectors and leather and also wired individual colors to go singly on neck wires. I’ve also made both short and longer versions of the one pictured. It’s been fun to make my own chain out of 18 gauge wire.

While it seems I should go to the bead store to find the “hot” colors for summer, I go to the boutiques. It doesn’t really matter to my customers if the bead is “hot” it really matters whether or not it compliments their new outfits. Looking at clothes and THEN going to the bead outlet makes much more sense. There is, however, a catch to this process. How do I go to the boutiques without wanting to buy the clothes? I guess I’ll just have to work on that one until my ship comes in.

Necklaces, Philosophy

Too Young?

February 27, 2010 Karen

You’re never too young (or old) to pick up a hammer. I was privileged to stay with my grandson for several days while his parents were out of town. On occasion, I would try to sneak in a little hammering on wire that I had configured while he was napping. Such a good little child . . . he wanted to help. Although I tried to interest him in his little toy hammer which had bells and whistles, he wanted mine. I was amazed that this 1 year old could wield the hammer and strike the bench block. I was, however, careful to keep my toes and fingers out of the way. He’s a strong little guy! I think his favorite part was the sound of the ping when the hammer met the block. Do you think we have a future designer or construction worker here? I think we just have a little boy who wants to do everything!

It makes me think how much fun we all have when we try different things. The wire work group with which I meet once a month tried etching and it was fun. I enjoyed this process, but was not fully captivated by it and realized that I can try something new without having to go “whole hog” into the endeavor. This is a phenomenon I’ve seldom experienced. I usually go overboard. I looked around the room during our meet up and saw totally absorbed women working on their etching and seemingly not worrying about anything else. It resembled the concentration and joy I saw on my grandson’s face when he made the hammer go “ping”. Do you think we could market this to psychiatrists as “Creativity, the healthy way to improve your outlook”?

The pictures herein show some of the pieces I’ve done lately to “improve my outlook”. The first is a double strand of very rough cut turquoise and agate.

The next is a sterling silver wave adorned with cherry quartz, amethyst and pearls.

The third piece is made of shell with some spiney oyster and magnesite.

I’m definitely hoping for spring weather with the latter two pieces. I find that the boutiques are bulging with new spring clothes, so it’s time to think about pastel jewelry. All three of the pieces were new combination for me and another creative avenue. We don’t have to try something totally new to be creatively happy. It you can’t get to a brand new experience, just do a little juggling with the one you are currently tackling. I used to tell my gifted/creative students that if they were bored, it was their fault. They have to bring something to the learning experience. I think my grandson brought a great big hammer!

Earrings, Necklaces, Philosophy, Wire Work

Bowling

February 7, 2010 Karen

How many pieces of jewelry can you make while “watching” the Super Bowl? Today was Super Bowl Sunday and the game watching from my favorite chair presented a good opportunity to get some stringing completed. I shouldn’t actually say I watched the game. It’s more that I listened to the game and looked up at the appropriate times. I must say this provided quite an earful stemming from the television noise and the cheers or the opposite thereof from my spouse. Included in the sounds were the three adult dogs who chorused the announcement of a skunk in the yard and the little yelps of the seven puppies who heard their mom barking outdoors. Need I say that focusing on the jewelry was a challenge?

Thankfully, several things did come together as shown in the photos herein. All the necklaces have earrings, but the pictures of a couple didn’t work out. I believe that all the major bead components for these pieces were purchased from Turquoise Magpie.

The stones/colors for all these necklaces were selected with Spring in mind. The boutiques are already filling with fashions for warmer weather and the clothes beg for these lighter colored accessories.

Seeing a warmer than Texas setting on television for the Super Bowl helped me think about Spring and realize there is hope for brighter, more pleasant weather ahead. I’m thinking that designers need some special video, lighting or music to jump ahead to the next season while still physically stuck in the current one. I guess the Super Bowl “watching” helped me get there.

I hope your team won and that even if you are not a Saints fan, you will cheer with me for the city that came back. Having lived in Louisiana for nine years and hearing first hand from those who survived Katrina, I can only find joy in this win for the city of New Orleans and the whole Gulf region.

Metal Work, Necklaces, Wire Work

Going in Circles

January 27, 2010 Karen 6 Comments

Some say if you keep going in circles, you’ll never get anywhere. But just think of all those times that going in circles pays off. I watched the national women’s ice skating competition the other evening. The circles they went in were pretty impressive. I made a pecan pie for my mother’s 89th birthday yesterday. She thought that was a delicious circle. AND, if we didn’t go in circles, albeit loops, we’d never find our way back home and I rather like it here at Dreamcatcher.

I’ve been going in circles with the metal work this week. It all started with a single left over circle from a pair of earrings gone awry and things mushroomed from there. Using the torch I had added color to some copper sheet metal and several natural circles appeared. The left over earring became a pattern and the medium circle necklace on the right developed. You can see a bit of the color created from the heat of the torch. Perhaps I went a bit overboard as I created a hand made chain out of wire circles. These circles are graduated becoming smaller toward the back.

Since there was more of this copper, I cut some smaller circles and made a second necklace.

Undaunted by strange looks from across the living room, I made one more set of circles. Surely someone might want a bit more bling! The larger circles came from a piece of metal I got at the recycle establishment. They already had an interesting patina.

It’s quite a wonder this latter piece ever came together since I worked on it between trips to the lease pasture to help round up and haul the cattle several times today. I even took the components with me when I served a picnic lunch to the men and they laughed at me for working on the necklace instead of eating. Some days, it’s a real struggle to finish anything and I wasn’t giving up. The glare on this picture gives the copper a strange hue that is not really present.

The final photo shows the back of one of the necklaces which is the same for all three.

I’m thinking this journey in circles should continue into bracelets and belts now. It seems that I’m enjoying going in circles. Could it be I’ve been on the straight and narrow for too long?

Who knows? Next I may decide to try rectangles . . . , but somehow I don’t think it will be the same.

Balance, Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants, Wire Work

Celtic Design

January 22, 2010 Karen

Most of my designs are composed of freeform, asymmetrical or random patterns. I’ve favored this style for so long that I wondered if I could actually follow a pattern. Even though randomness is not always a bad thing, I still remember what happened when I let the children in my elementary classes “do their own thing”. It was very difficult to get them back to the routine. Therefore, I usually saved this freedom for the end of the day and then quickly sent them home to their mothers. By the next morning, they were usually ready to get back to the routine.

I observed this same phenomenon with the graduate students that I taught. One evening, in an early childhood class, I let them experiment with drops of colored water on waxed paper. Each student had a straw and they were to observe the movement of the drops blown across the paper as well as the manner in which they combined. The drops move like liquid mercury. I thought we had put everything away and started my lecture only to glance up and note two women in the back of the room racing their water drops across the waxed paper as they blew through the straws. I bent down and met them at eye level just as the first water drop crossed the finish line. I was laughing so hard inside that it was hard to be stern. We never did quite return to full intellectual seriousness during that class.

With the knowledge of how freedom can trump rigor, I was concerned about following the Celtic knot pattern. Thankfully, I don’t have to go somewhere to get straightened out. I can still create a balanced pattern. The necklace shown here, composed of Celtic knots IS balanced. I have several acquaintances who really like Celtic knots, but I’ve wondered about their meaning. I retrieved the following information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_knot

“Celtic knots are a variety of (mostly endless) knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, adopted by the ancient Celts. These knots are most known for their adaptation for use in the ornamentation of Christian monuments and manuscripts . . . “

This didn’t tell me much more than I knew, but the Christian connection is interesting. I like these knots because they are seeming endlessness. I had a great deal of trouble figuring out the pendant knot. The others on the necklace chain are not endless. Each is made of two separate figure eights that are brought together with jump rings on each end. This is more easily observed on the earrings.

This set has found a temporary home at Dovetails of Wimberley and if folks like it, the store owner suggested we make it in silver. We shall see whether or not I can replicate that knot.

You know, following a pattern wasn’t too bad. It was actually quite calming to know exactly what should come next in the design. (But I wouldn’t want to do this all the time!)

Color, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques, Wire Work

New Pieces

January 19, 2010 Karen

I’m short on time and short on words today, but wanted to put up some pictures of completed necklaces. The copper pendant with the sterling silver cross was born of my efforts to put more movement into pieces. The cross hangs from a hammered figure 8 piece of wire that allows it to swing inside the copper piece. The bumps on the outer edge of the copper were made with my doming set.

The butterfly pendant is atop a domed and stamped piece of copper. I used the torch on the butterfly to give it a bit of color.

This piece is made of ruby zoisite (large chips) and kiwi. I used plated silver beads and added some blue rounds to the necklace. I regret the color doesn’t show very well in the photo

This piece took several days because I didn’t know what I was doing. I wanted to do a layered pendant and use rivets, but in the end I just have layers and fake rivets. The oval is copper and the diamond shape is brass that I stamped with Ranger brand alcohol ink to add a bit of color.

The seed bead pendant has been close to completion for quite a while. Now I can check it off the list of UFOs (unfinished objects. . . check . . . Hurray!)

Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants, Wire Work

Swingers

January 13, 2010 Karen

I’m NOT one, but I do like jewelry in motion. I also like designs that have dimension. Following the post here on January 2, I took the bracelet shown wrapped around the pasta can into one of the stores where I market my designs. (I took it sans pasta can!) Although it didn’t have stones on it yet, the owner especially liked the depth to the bracelet armature.

Since then, I’ve been playing with how depth might be suitably worked into various designs. I made several “something or others” out of wire and they sat on the work table for 10 days. Finally, some of these came together as swingers last night. It’s difficult to see the depth on the necklace pendant, but there is about 3/4 of an inch between the front and the back swirls. The stone dangle wraps around both the pendant swirl and the necklace allowing it to swing.

It’s a bit easier to see this on the earrings which, by the way, didn’t want to quit swinging long enough to have their picture taken.

Whether these are winners or not, they were certainly perplexing as a design project and will, hopefully, spawn other dimensional ideas.

Now, I wonder about that other kind of SWINGER . . . sorry, I can’t write about a topic that I know nothing about. You’re on your own with that one.

Dreamcatcher Designs