Turtle Earrings

When I saw these bright, colorful turtles I just had to buy them. The strand came with red, green, blue, turquoise, black, brown, pink, cream... so pretty.

The pairs I've made into these simple earrings. They only made 4 pair (1 sold already!) I think I need more turtles, LOL!

These will be in the Copper and Clay Designs inventory. We should be at the Summerville Farmer's Market for the next couple of weeks and then on Edisto Beach for the Shag Festival the last weekend in August. Come see my turtles and the rest of our cool stuff!

Who...o...o? In Polymer Clay and Cooper

This necklace features a gorgeous green and sage polymer clay owl sculpted by my Copper and Clay Designs partner, Katie.

I added a hand cut copper heart that I etched using a decoetch plate in my Vintaj Big Kick. I painted in the green metal patina and sanded and buffed it to a nice shine. I finished up with hands formed copper spirals, green glass crystals and a hand formed s-hook.

I am showing it to someone this week. If she resists the cuteness it will be added to the Copper and Clay inventory.

Lotus Blossom in Cooper

Another flower based on the Metal Jewelry in Bloom book.

This is a lotus pendant on a simple copper chain. The flower is made with 2 layers of 5 petals and 1 layer of stamen riveted together in the center. I added color with alcohol inks and placed a golden flat backed Swarovski crystal in the center.

This one is for me, (another in my learning process), but as I'm pretty confident with my techniques on these flowers, I'm going to be reopening my online stores with a gorgeous line of them really soon. If there's something particular you'd like to see, let me know.

Copper Pansy Bracelet

A couple months ago I bought a book called Metal Jewelry in Bloom. It's awesome! I've been playing with it. I decided to step out and attempt a pansy using her basics. And here it is soldered onto a simple copper bangle with copper spiral and coil embellishments. The blue color is alcohol ink. You'll find this one on my wrist as it's pretty but not yet perfect. Overall an excellent first prototype! I'm very excited for the potential here.

Interested in the book? You can find it on Amazon. It's worth it! Totally.

For My Daughter's Wedding

Just realized I'm not creating near as much as I should be and not posting any of what I create. So . . .

Here is what I worked on this morning. They are for the bridal party for my daughter's wedding. She asked me a couple days ago, just 9 days before the wedding, if I had time. How do I tell her "no"? LOL.

So I worked with the copper washer design that I've used for earrings. It's simple and somewhere between elegant and funky. A little purple patina to match her colors, some flat mother of pearl beads (golden Swarovski butterfly for the flower girl), simple S-clasps and voila.

She's happy. I'm happy. Yay!

Walking on Sunshine

This piece started with a really cool polymer clay focal created by my Copper and Clay Designs co-conspirator, Katie. I laced on the copper frame and added the bead drop and beaded chain, finished with a hand formed S-clasp.

You will find this piece in the Copper and Clay inventory. We hope to be showing on Isle of Palms Saturday (I'll let you know) and Katie will be showing in her hometown area later this month (more details soon.) We have more focals in the same color scheme so let me know if you want to see something different.

Make Up Work

And this a second piece today top make up for skipping yesterday. I've been working on it for a while and finally put the finishing touches on it and put it together.

It's all copper cut from sheet. The pieces are textured by various means including metal stamping, etching, and hammering. Color is added with Gilders paste, metal patinas and alcohol inks.

The little orange flowers are polymer clay pieces created by my Copper and Clay Designs partner using some cool surface texture and patina techniques. One is secured to the copper with a rivet, the other is wired on.

The oblong panel features some jump rings looped in chain maille fashion and a hand formed toggle clasp.

The copper panels measure a total of 6.25 inches and the bracelet finishes at 7.5 inches.

Birdhouse in my Soul Necklace

And for today's piece . . .

Yes, that crazy song truly has taken up residence in my soul, so when I saw the birdhouse pendant by Jennifer Heynene I knew I had to have it.

And then I went a little crazy.

The birdhouse has a loop on the bottom to add charms, so I thought . . . BIRD . . . and embossed one on a copper circle. Matching bead dangles include transparent blue and green glass, opaque red, dyed matte yellow agate and a funky little blue rose.

The charm loop is hand punched, textured with a hammer and colored with alcohol ink. It also serves as the clasp combined with the large toggle-bar which is finished in the same way then embellished with a wire rosette.

If you're wondering where to find this piece, it won't make it to my inventory. I'm encouraging the happy song to stick around a while longer and keeping this one for myself. But if you like it, contact me and as always I can make something similar for you!

Ring Around The Rosie

Yeah, I know it's a line from a kid's rhyme about the black plague, but it sounds so cute if you don't think about it I figured it would work for these rings.

So, these are my 2nd in what will be a long series of Piece-a-Day projects. Not the most involved or creative, but they're colorful and fun. And they serve the purpose of aging to my inventory. Hey, what can I say, my biggest accomplishment for the day was fixing dinner for hubby - sigh.

Anyways, they are rose beads bought at a local craft shop. I should probably measure them, but the lighter blue is just over an inch across I'd guess and the medium blue is the smallest at about 1/4 inch. They're wrapped with 20 gauge half-hard copper wire.

Where will you find them? In the Copper and Clay Designs inventory at various festivals around the South Carolina Low Country. Or email me and I'll make one in your size.

I Forgot Already

Yes, I already forgot my plans to make a piece of jewelry every (week)day. In my defense, I pretty much declared today a day of rest after a very busy weekend.

Why?

My partner and I with Copper and Clay Designs had 2 festivals this weekend, one Saturday and another on Sunday. And what awesome festivals! Busy. Lots of shoppers. Lots of sales. And set up and break down times 2.

Today. Tired. In a good and happy way, of course.

But 1 day off is all I'm allowed because another result of a good festival weekend is low inventory. So tomorrow, back to my studio to see what I can create.

Painted Washer Earrings

Here is my first Piece-A-Day post. And actually it's 3 -- pair of earrings.

I've seen similar in a couple places. I own a pair of dangly earrings that are made with twisty little hoops and Venetian glass beads that I bought from an artisan at a festival. Also, the title character on the show Bones wears a similar pair in one episode. (Actually, she wears lots of totally awesome jewelry and I'm constantly taking pics of the tv screen.)

So this is my copper interpretation of the design. I started by punching the copper washers from sheet copper. Then I textured them with my pattern hammer.

The light blue color is Gilders Paste in patina that I brushed on, concentrating on the indented spots, then buffed off the raised areas. The dark blue color is an alcohol ink dropped onto the washers and lightly sanded off. I spray finish my copper to protect the color.

The beads are simple glass and resin beads from my stash accented with little corrugated copper beads. Ear wires are also hand made by me.

Wondering where you can find them? One pair will likely be in my ears (I'm thinking the dark blue, but I haven't decided for sure yet). Another pair will stay in my personal display for sale. The other will become part of the inventory of Copper and Clay Designs. If you're in the Summerville/Charleston, SC area you can see them Saturday at the Italian festival or Sunday at the Blessing of the Fleet.

A-Piece-A-Day

So I've been following Earrings Everyday for a while now. They feature these really gorgeous earrings everyday. Hmmm. Was that self-explainatory? OK, well, weekdays at least. It's a group of ladies who show off their earrings and often their inspiration and thoughts behind the designs. Lot's of beautiful eye-candy and a good read. Do check it out.

Now more to my point:

They gave me an idea . . . I tend to get a little lazy about my creations. I have lots of partially done stuff on my work table and in my boxes and, well, everywhere. We won't even talk about my stash of beads, wires and other bling.

So, I decided to follow the Earrings Everyday example and make something everyday. I'll make lots of earrings, of course, because they are popular and fun to make. I'll also make necklaces and bracelets and even some rings . . . something everyday.

Unlike the group at the earring blog, I'm only 1 person, so wish me luck and do pardon the occasional slip.

Meanwhile, check back regularly for some new creations.

Just in Case You're Wondering

Why I have a cute floral, butterfly and birdie background. They Might Be Giants has been playing on my radio a lot lately. This song has been stuck in my head, but that's OK, 'cause it makes me smile. It's called Birdhouse in Your Soul.

I'm your only friend
I'm not your only friend
But I'm a little glowing friend
But really I'm not actually your friend
But I am

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

I have a secret to tell
From my electrical well
It's a simple message and I'm leaving out the whistles and bells
So the room must listen to me
Filibuster vigilantly
My name is blue canary one note* spelled l-i-t-e
My story's infinite
Like the Longines Symphonette it doesn't rest

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

I'm your only friend
I'm not your only friend
But I'm a little glowing friend
But really I'm not actually your friend
But I am

There's a picture opposite me
Of my primitive ancestry
Which stood on rocky shores and kept the beaches shipwreck free
Though I respect that a lot
I'd be fired if that were my job
After killing Jason off and countless screaming Argonauts
Bluebird of friendliness
Like guardian angels its always near

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

(and while you're at it
Keep the nightlight on inside the
Birdhouse in your soul)

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch (and while you're at it)
Who watches over you (keep the nightlight on inside the)
Make a little birdhouse in your soul (birdhouse in your soul)

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch (and while you're at it)
Who watches over you (keep the nightlight on inside the)
Make a little birdhouse in your soul (birdhouse in your soul)

Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

P.S. Did you know those songs that get stuck in your head are called "ear worms"? Yeah. I learned that on the Today Show this week.

First post to test

and see how this works. Want to see what all the boxes and options do.