Tiny Earrings

They're small silver circles.  A fairly popular style with the jewelry community and I figured it was a good place to start with a small collection.  I'll maker some bar earrings next and maybe a few domed styles.  I've already begun to set some rose beveled cabs. 

Sunday Off, Cruising....

We took a short ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway today. 

It's the fall color season in the south and it has finally stopped raining.  Wow, everyone was out riding around and picnicking.  Loved it! Aren't the views beautiful?



New Clay

While I continue to work on the heart necklace I've been puttering with some new clay components.  Since I can work with the clay while I'm upstairs it makes a nice break in the studio action.  The necklace is very nearly ready to string up.  There's still a clasp, oxidizing, and some crimp covers to purchase for assembly and I'll be ready to go with the heart/litho necklace.  It seems like forever since the goal was a finished piece of jewelry rather than components.  They are both lofty goals and I've never viewed either as the more vital endeavor.

I guess I look at each little component as its' own complete piece.  I give each such careful consideration while I'm working on it - pumping them out was never a plan so I get to caress each piece, smooth the edges, pick out just the right bail (not to big a bend - not to small - call it a goldilocks obsession).  Instead of stamping them out I form each little clay piece by hand, stamp them, roll the edges and reform it....anyway, you get the idea, LOL. Clay components created by an artist with a perfectionist goldilocks obsession.  That about describes it - and why I'm so slowwww.....

As soon as this clay is glazed I'll be posting these in my new Etsy "PartsWerk" site.  And I say that with great enthusiasm like I actually think that will be tomorrow.  Sharon, you silly dreamer!  I've both lampwork and clay components to get listed.  All finished jewelry pieces will now be in the original RTAW site (the poor empty Etsy site you see here).  Slowly, but surely I'm working towards it.  It may take me a few more months for the unveiling but since I'm a one foot in front of the other kind of gal I'll get there - later than sooner, but I'll get there. (Smiles from ear to ear!). 

Here's a small sampling of the clay pieces waiting to be fired.  One batch has already gone in the kiln and I've bisque to get glazed while I wait for this batch to dry.

 

What have you been up to?  Fall always make me feel more productive.

Happily Working Along

I've been working on one of the litho square pieces and have expanded it to include a heart and hang from a two strand necklace with silver spacers. 

On one of the jewelry sites someone was using these great little tooled ends - my friend sent me the reference and I got some.  Today I pounded out a few designs and decided to make fancy headpins from them.  I needed an interesting one for the heart anyway.

     My friend, Susan asked me how I soldered the wires
     into the backs of the little buggers so I decided I'd post                                                            it here too.  After the designs are hammered in the front
the piece is removed the design steel by hammering a nail setting tool into the back of it.  It also leaves a mighty nice indentation on the back of the molded silver dot.  I push the silver form into a soldering board and use self locking tweezers to hold the wire in place.  I solder with easy solder since you don't need anything stronger.  You aren't going to be adding any other pieces so why use hard solder.  

For the ones in the top picture I had added a silver sheet round to the bottom and it covered up my center hole.  The best way to handle that is to then make your own divot in the sheet.  That divot is easily accomplished with a round burr that is either a cutting or grinding burr.  The burr shown in the picture happens to be a diamond coated grinder. 

           See the larger head pin on the heart?
                                           

In this last picture are two of the smaller head pins.  They will be great with bead earrings.  I haven't yet explored all of the possibilities but I'm off to a great start and it's wonderful to be back in the studio again.

Have a

great

Friday!!