Like delicate chandeliers, or windchimes floating in the wind, Cherie Barnes' lovely summer earrings speak softly to me as a jewelry maker!
Her rose focal is Cold Porcelain, a technique she has personally mastered and shares here via a tutorial: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CheriesPottery The little leaves and and flowers are new acrylic sprinkled with baby rhinestones.....and the colors are like fresh pineapple and tangerine juice. LOVELY!
Earrings like these are always fun to make, and spring/summer is a great time to focus on a new body of earrings to share with your customers, friends and those you love to gift. Maybe you'll be a bride this June? Why not consider making your own earrings? Or perhaps you are attending a wedding or special event? Earrings like these are bound to get second glances and commentary.
Beanzie, of The Vintage Heart at Etsy as well as at Ruby Lane, made these sweet little three beads on a head pin numbers, of lovely beads she picked out of her work stash:
These are easy-peasy but what makes them sing are the color choices, the texture in the beads as well as the addition of the pretty rhinestone rondelles, both new and vintage.
Summery fun with paints and patinas, disc on disc, with a tiny bit of bling and a charm from Janet Wilson:
Over the top from Monica Rangne of Mocki Design; assemblage of hand-tinted brass and ceramic roses, along with vintage bling:
These are funky little numbers that incorporate watch parts in a glass vial, some charms and heishi beads, from B'sue....made from things you can pick up at B'sue Boutiques
These earrings were made long ago in my workshop, from acrylic rivoli, ceramic flowers, bits and pieces of rhinestone chain. I used to make many earrings like these, but this pair, I kept.
So.....are you going to get out some baubles and beads, and make a pair to share with us at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group ?
Given that pictures are worth a thousand words....let's just have some photos:
These are some I have made in the last few weeks. As you can see, they're composed of a bracelet that simply leads down to a loop that goes around the finger, or a ring that attaches to the bracelet by a chain.
In the past, bracelets of this style were known by the trade term "slave bracelets." In India, however, where they are worn by many as part of culture, they are referred to as 'hand flowers'. I have to say, I love that term....so from now on, that's what I am calling them.
This blog post is not to create fear in the hearts of those who already fearful of working with resin.
You should have NO fear of working with resin, because even if you err, even the worst resinous mess can be corrected.
Anyway....mine is being corrected, as we speak!
Yesterday I mixed up some ICE Resin in order to complete a bunch of experiments I'd been working on, some with the new Iced Enamels and others with molds and polymer clay. Well....I thought I mixed it!
I THOUGHT it seemed light when I mixed it. It should be a pearlescent, milky color when you do it properly, but mine stayed clear. I don't know why that didn't raise a flag....but! I had too much going on and wasn't paying attention.
I ended up mixing it one part resin to one part resin, instead of putting in the hardener. So when I came back to work this morning, all I had was an icky, sticky mess! UGH!
What to do?
DO IT AGAIN. I scraped off as much of the first mixture as I could. Then I PROPERLY mixed a new batch. On the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group at Facebook , someone had recommended that as you let the resin rest after mixing (you should let it rest about 5 min or so) that you could also put it on a candle warmer plate for a minute or two and let the warmth 'start' it. So I did:
Then, someone called me. I forgot about it for about 20 minutes.
Well, the good news is FOR SURE I did a great job of mixing it. The bad news was that it was almost cured solid! LOL
Time to mix another batch......
Anyway, here's what I did get done:
This is a cuff first painted with some Pink Halo Lumiere paint I had in the drawer over one of my extra wide dimpled "can" style cuffs.
After the paint dried, I coated the whole thing with Iced Enamels medium, and sprinkled a couple of colors of Iced Enamel "Relique" Powders on it. Then I heat set it.
Now it is covered with ICE resin. Hmmm. It looks great like this, but you know me....I could never stop HERE.
Maybe some of these flowers will look good on top:
I like to resin silk flowers, too. Since they are so porous, will have to wait and see how many new coats of good resin it will take to fix my gaffe. I also added some Iced Enams to the sides of the petals. Hope it comes out so I can show ya!
Can't wait to do more with the Iced Enamels We have been planning a DVD with some of the cool patina stuff on it for some time; it's taking longer than I'd planned, but when it comes out we'll have a spot about them on it.
Meantime, why don't you join the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group at Facebook ? Ther is so much sharing going on there, on so many levels. Once in a bit, Jen Cushman, who is part of ICE Resin, stops by and shares some info with us on their products; and this week we just celebrated 1,000 members with a virtual party that rocked on most of the night!
What a fun bunch! Helps me get over my resinous mess! LOL
Mitzi Curi of Mitzi's Collectables came down from Lansing, Michigan last week to spend two days of instruction in the shop with me.
Mitzi is easy-going, low-key and interested in everything. We had a very fun and productive time together last week and she went home with her head swimming full of new ideas.
You might like to take a moment to read her blog, see her photos, and read her observations about the trip she made to B'sue Boutiques shop here in East Palestine, Ohio:
Mitzi is a full-time antiques dealer and finds lots of amazing little deals and doo-dads. Be sure to check out her Vintage Vocabulary Series as it is FULL of great information. You will find more about Mitzi in the right-hand nav bar of her blog. She loves to blog so subscribing to her writings would be a very good idea for you.
Normally I teach 2-3 hour techniques classes here at the shop with 1-3 persons. I am able to book a class like Mitzi took only a few times a year, but am happy to do it if you are a dedicated artisan who wants to learn more about current mixed media techniques. My rates are reasonable; your biggest cost might be getting here and your hotel fee! I recommend the Dutch Haus Inn In Columbiana, Ohio They have beautiful, comfortable rooms and feed you amazing Amish pastries for breakfast.
More information on visiting us at B'sue Boutiques here:
Drop in company is always welcome; if you are traveling, it's a good idea to call first so that you can be sure I am not out on an appointment for some reason. I'd hate to miss you! We have a lot of our stampings inventory out front in the shop now and I am adding more every day.
Here's a shot again of all the amazing loot sent to me for the Bead Soup Blog Hop First Reveal, by Lola Surwillo of Bead Lola Bead: http://www.beadlolabead.blogspot.com/
This was a bit of a stretch for me. I LOVED everything she sent.....there were actually two amazing clasps in here, one a delightful, amazing Art Deco style sterling clasps with either glass stones or CZ's in it....and then, a lovely TierraCast copper ox cast toggle that looked like a clock! Both are toward the foreground of the photo.
Then she sent me beaucoups of Mother of Pearl, fresh water pearls, all sorts of amazing little things. I wanted to use up just as much of it as I could, thinking outside of the box yet remaining true to my own style. Here is the first piece I made:
and another shot:
and another:
I wish I had a photo of ME wearing this.....because then you could see the huge smile on my face. This one is MINE ALL MINE. Usually I turn over the things I make in my shop in East Palestine, Ohio:
But this one is so ME. I hope many of you had similar happiness with your Bead Soup creations.
I LOVE the vintage work of the Miriam Haskell company, where all the materials are wired in to a piece, such as this one. I began with Old Rose Ox Filigree from B'sue Boutiques and then used many of Lola's freshwater pearls and beads in the motif as well as up the side of the pure copper chain, which was from my own stash. The tassel is vintage red brass chain and I used Lola's beads again on fine, copper balled headpins along with some little keys. Up one side, you see that amazing TierraCast clasp.
The piece is finished to the back with an opposing filigree to cover the wire on the back.
This type of beading is called cagework beadery. As you can see, I have hardly mastered it, I see more wire showing than I would like. In the long run, though, the piece looks great when worn, feels wonderful, is easy going while being slightly fussy at the same time.
Here is the second piece I made from Lola's brilliant stash of goodies:
I really struggled with this one, because that clasp was so amazing and it had three staggered connecting holes. I don't bead in that way so I was banging my head a bit. So I decided to make it a focal, along with the mother of pearl slab she sent me. The tassel is sterling chain that she also send, also the little glass Czech baroque beads. The silver figaro chain was mine, so was the diamante heart and vintage pear shaped prism (which was once part of a chandelier).
I have it on display in the shop and a couple of people have wanted to buy it already, but nope! Not til after Bead Soup! LOL Honestly, it was really hard to photograph, and do justice, but I am very pleased with the design and the way it feels.
THANK YOU LOLA for making me think outside my own design box. I honestly think I went over a new hurdle and this challenge was MORE than worthwhile. Thank you for all the beautiful components, I hope you have enjoyed working with what I sent you!
This is what I sent Lola:
I'm certain these items are very different for her, too.
I know it's going to take me time to get around to everyone as running B'sue Boutiques and getting the orders out requires a lot of time. Also, I have a very large and growing Creative Group at Facebook, why don't you come check it out! Beaders, mixed media artists, PMC, polymer clay, Boho, stampings....whatever you like to use, you can share with us!
I will eventually get around the whole block.....and can't wait to see what you have come up with, too! Happy First Reveal, everyone!
Here is the list of participants from Lori's blog:
Pictures speak a thousand words....so instead of saying too much, I'm gonna show you some photos:
Vintage goldtone lariat with hand-tied knot in the center.
I made this lariat back in the late 90s' ......of several lengths of chain in sections, interspersed with beaded sections and finials....It was made like a long, long, beaded/connected belt that you loop over, like a scarf, as high or as long as you want.
This lariat was found at the overstock.com website:
I thought it showed an interesting way of wearing the long beaded length of the necklace. Very attractive!
Here is a simple one with a toggle that I put together this afternoon as an example:
Many lariat necklaces are made with a specific tying, or looping method, in mind. They may have a unique focal or toggle through which you might want to pull the chain. Or, they could have a sliding clasp. Since they are in many cases, just a long length of beaded 'chain' or a combination of beaded and chain links (with no clasp), you really can tie or loop them however you like.
A simple knot in the front is a great way to go. Put the length around your neck and drape the ends across your chest. Then put both strands in one hand, making a loop with them. Now, pull the ends of necklace through this loop to knot in front.
The loop style is the way to go with extra long lariats. You can try it with jeans and leather or even a cocktail dress. Fold it in half, then wrap the folded necklace around your neck, pull the ends through---as high up or as low down as you think looks good for your outfit.
I did a little search on Etsy to see if other artists were using the lariat style, and many are!
Maybe this page will provide you with even more inspiration from your fellow artists. Of course, my purpose in sharing this page is to get those ideas moving along, never to copy another artist's work.
It's so much more fun to come up with your own, anyway!
Our next challenge at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group at Facebook will be to make lariat necklaces. That's what we will focus on in April. I can't wait to see all the new ideas! Why don't you come and join us? It's a fabulous group, great people, lots of networking and sharing. We have 935 amazing members so far, but what would make it better is if YOU would join us, too!
Consider this a personal invitation to come and be a part of the fun!
Kitchen sink style jewelry should properly begin with a mess on your worktable.
ANYWAY....that's my opinion. This piece, which is actually a convertible charm bracelet, was made JUST that way. I had bunches of bibs, bobs and charms lying about, and they just all ended up on this chain!
Yesterday I did a video highlighting some forms Kitchen Sink Jewelry making, and stressing that is it is NOT assemblage that you do with glue (except if maybe you are gluing a rose to a heart, or a cameo in a mount to dangle, etc). It is done with chains, jumps and wire.....and once in a bit, maybe even some rivets.
Here is a 'sinker' amid a mess, getting ready for the video:
Actually this is just the tassel part, and you know, you can just do it that way too. You don't have to go over the top and do a whole necklace loaded up with every bit of doofus in your workshop. You can do the tassel on a bit of chain, sheesh, you can even make it in to a purse pull that you can remove from the chain....if you want.
The tassels are basically charmstrings. I did a video on that a few years back, too!
Here is what this one looks like, hanging:
BIG PICTURE....but the better to see ya with, m'dear. I think this one needs one more flower charm at the top. One like this:
I show you how in the newest video, Making Charm Jewelry: Kitchen Sink Style.
Here's more:
Same tassel all spread apart so you can see everything on it. I made the tassel, but then I put it on the bead and link form chain that I showed in the video, so there are even more strands to bead down the front.
Here is the wired centerpiece necklace from the video:
We hope you'll join us! First come over and ask to be admitted to the group as it is a closed Facebook Group. There are 893 of us but if you aren't there, we don't have enough members!
Then read the ABOUT section so that you can see how we roll, how you can promote your work at the group and at our group general purpose PINTEREST BOARD! :
There are a coupla little no-no's but not very many. Review them and keep them in mind, is all. You can promote and share pix of any sort of handmade jewelry, whatever type you make, and you do not have to use stuff from the B'sue Boutiques website (although I do tend to promote pieces that have our stuff in them on the newsletter and on my personal Pinterest boards.)
FOR THE CHALLENGE:
You need to make something in the Kitchen Sink Style between now and Mar 30 at midnight, when the challenge ends.
Nobody's gonna say anybody's doesn't qualify. Translate the style as you see it.
Post the photo first on the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group. Then PIN IT to the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group CHALLENGE BOARD at Pinterest, which is found here:
Then private message me at Brenda Sue Lansdowne at Facebook. If we are not friends at FB yet, send me a request. I will get you on.
You can also just say MARCH CHALLENGE when you post your piece at the group, then tell us a little about it, and ask somebody to pin you til you are put on the pinning list. They'll be happy to help.
Beginning of April, I will announce a winner drawn randomly from among the participants to receive a 25.00 gift certificate to B'sue Boutiques
Each month we have a new challenge....but this one will be VERY INTERESTING! You can use charms, found items, old keys, broken bits, filigree, blanks, gemstones, beads......as you like it! I find the best chain to use is rolo (belcher) as it's easy to count off, also our new bookchain, and our bead and link chain. Find these in the Jewelry Chain section of our website, if you need some.
Kitchen
Sink Style is a unique form of assemblage that does not involve
glue....but chain, wire, and lots! of jump rings. It is
repurposing/mixed media at its best. One of its most unique
interpreters is my friend Wendy Baker, of Bendy Who...you'll find her
shop at Etsy.
While
many of the pieces in Wendy's pieces appear to be repurposed, some are,
some aren't. She paints some of her brass and assembles it to great
effect. Many of the pieces made in the old 'flower power' style
brooches we remember Mom and Gramma wearing in back in the 60's, are
still made. Some are going up in value, so it's not always a good idea
to tear them up. Some you can make from components that are still
made, or are vintage.
Truth be told....most ALL of these components are still made, most of 'em, anyway.
With
Kitchen Sink Style jewelry, you don't really need to tear up *anything*
if you're repurposing. The materials are assembled and collaged to
wire 'armatures', if you will...or chain....with more wire. So it's a
very responsible way to repurpose materials and old jewelry.
There's
really no right, no wrong with this art form. When folks ask me
about doing it, I say go after the design until you are satisfied. Make
sure it feels good when you wear it, and make sure that nothing is
kinked up or uneven. (Assymetric is fine, but kinked up and uneven,
isn't.) Think flow, color; be sure you have used substantial enough
chain and clasp to support the piece.
I find it restful, rather like working a puzzle. It usually begins with a mess:
Oh
yes! I guess we've all seen worse messes than this. But in my case,
anyway, Kitchen Sink Jewelry is usually the result of cleaning up
workspace. This mess above, came to be this:
Well,
yeah, I did use a bit of glue to attach the Geisha Lady to the filigree
background. The rest was stuff I made using embossing folders, wire,
patina, stuff I had lying about.
This is a piece I did back in 2005 for Fabulous Jewelry from Found Items, published by Lark Books:
I
was so thrilled to be part of that project, as it was the first book
that really addressed free-form collage style, or found item jewelry, in
depth. Since then, there have been many such books. This piece was
called "Lost Earrings Bib". It's a bunch of single enameled earrings I
got from a warehouse bulk lot buy of off-season jewelry, and then,
some things from the B'sue Boutiques
website. They were all pierced earrings, with long posts. That
worked out well; I simply took my round-nose pliers and turned the posts
into connections, and hooked them up. Ever do that?
My
friend,Linzi Alford of Magpie in the Sky, also makes wonderful
assemblage in the 'Kitchen Sink" style. This piece, called Time
Traveler,was recently published in a beading magazine in the UK:
Wowzer! There are A LOT of cool components on Linzi's composition from B'sue Boutiques on that one. The rusty black propeller in the pendant is set in resin, with the propellers out, so they still spin.
Beanzie of TheVintageHeart, is famous for her trash and flash Kitchen Sink bracelets and necklaces:
Really
there is nothing all that random about what Beanz does. She makes a
'collection' first. It may take her a year or two to gather JUST the
right things for something she has in mind. It might be in a certain
color family, or a type of antique/vintage component that she searches
out, or even a theme. It also might be a series of charms that she
herself hand-paints. She selects the chain she uses very carefully,
and is very fussy about the type of jump rings she uses.
So
while upon first glance her Kitchen Sink Style looks seem to be the
contents of someone's old jewelry chest, they are really very
well-thought-out.
At
B'sue Boutiques, we carry everything you need to make excellent Kitchen
Sink Style looks. You will find many flower findings here:
See
what you've got in your stash....and get started with a brand-new
look. Something old...something new....something borrowed....and hey,
sure, blue if you want blue! Or altered. or Steampunk. Go Spring,
Summer, Fall....Winter drama. Or completely handmade! Who says you
can't do this with a fistful of gemstone beads and handmade ceramic?
Or old glass? New charms, old charms. For sure, whatever you DON'T
have to do the job....WE DO, at B'sue Boutiques
The
website is chock-a-block full of IMAGINATION! Add *yours* to some
cool new bits from our place, and the creative world belongs to YOU.
Here's my Bead Soup Blog Party package from my partner, Lola Surwillo of Bead Lola Bead
Whoops! I didn't gift package mine! What a sweet touch!
I know, I know....ya wanna know what's inside, right?
Can you believe all of THAT came out of that box? WOW!
Oooooh....lotsa pearly-ness. I LOVE LOVE LOVE pearls! The toggle looks like a little clock, looks like some Tierra Cast stuff I was thinking about getting for the website. Now I can try it out!
What WILL I make? Hmmm. I'm thinking a bib style, but I dunno. Maybe caged, pearls are GREAT, caged. There is even some sterling wire, I think. Hmmmm. Will have to give it a lot of thought.
Lola and I are on for the Bead Soup Blog Party for March 30th. I better get my thinking cap on! This is Lola's THIRD Bead Soup....it's my FIRST. FINALLY I get to play, too!
This is Lola's photo of what I sent her (she made such a pretty photo!)
Colorized brass from B'sue Boutiques, made by artist Jennifer Jazwick-Smith of Hudathot Jewelry at Etsy.
Pretty drop necklace made by Shirley Wilson of Simply One Designs...and my shop pal who likes to come in and visit with us at the store several times a week!
Polymer clay hearts added to the mix....a distinctive design by Beanzie at TheVintageHeart at Etsy and Ruby Lane.
One of my fave hearts from the B'sue Boutiques website utilized beautifully by Jann Tague of Clever Designs.
I can never get enough of this fabulous charm bracelet made by Robin Delargy of LooLoo's Box at Etsy.
Very cool wire wrapped pendant with hearts by Donna Saladino-Irvine of Jewelry Junkie.
Amazing polymer claypendants and lockets made by my friend, Laurel Steven of Laurel Steven at Etsy.
Sweet green patina brass....from Sam Hamp.
Raku heart made from a vintage style charm mold, from Harry Wood of Oscar Crow at Etsy.
From Mary Ann Flesch of Handcrafted Serenity at Etsy, made of wooden heart blank, bling tape, assorted images and elements. These are SO FUN!! to make.
This design made by Kimberlee Turner of Dr. Brassy's Steampunk at Etsy, always touches my heart.
Oven bake patina heart, wrapped with filigree, applied swan....made by me, B'sue.
Here is a video to tell you how to make this sort of patina:
