My jewelry

December 7, 2016 By Karin M

Mixed metal mania

Just fresh off a wonderful jewelry show (do take a moment to check out Mythic Silver) and up to my eyeballs in Christmas orders, I wanted to pop in today to give you a small glimpse of what has occupied my time lately.

If you have read this post, you know that I am veering more and more towards the metal smithing spectrum of jewelry making. More specifically I absolutely adore anything created from mixed metals.
The look that is achieved by combining my three favorite materials, copper, silver and jeweler’s brass, is timeless and yields endless possibilities. My hunch that this might be popular with my customers was confirmed at my last event. Over and over I heard “I love mixed metals”. So do I my friends, so do I.
Why? Well, for one thing, they have been around for a long time. The combination of metals, especially the kind that sports a patina, is one that is equally at home with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, the outfit you wear to the office and your lbd. Speaking of patina, let me show you an example of patina that knocks it out of the park in my eyes.

The effect on this pendant is, well, a cross between an accident and sheer luck. Don’t you just love the way it gives the background a painted effect?

Most recently, I have fallen into a bit of a rabbit hole creating several new pieces in the “married” metals technique. One day it just dawned on me that I should be able to solder two different metals together to create an entire new sheet. And by golly, once I got the hang of that, there was no going back. Here are some examples of what I have cobbled together using this technique so far.

Well, I am off to create some more goodies. Love this time of year! There is nothing more exciting to me than the knowledge that many of the creations that come from my heart and were made with my hands will be someone’s special gift come Christmas morning or for Hanukkah. Thank you all for being so incredibly supportive, for putting the wind into my creative sails!

Karin

July 2, 2016 By Karin M

Metal head

If you have been following my shop for a while, you may have noticed that things have recently taken on a more “metal-smithy” vibe. I go through phases. I get hooked on certain shapes or materials and just get lost in exploring all of the possibilities that lie within. And when I fall into that rabbit hole, it is all consuming.

Suddenly I find myself day dreaming about designs or techniques that I want to incorporate. It’s hard to keep me out of my shop. Unfortunately it also keeps me from doing much of anything else, including keeping up with my blog! My bad!

So today I am here to show you what I have been up to recently:)

It started out innocently enough, with this triangle necklace that had been floating around in my brain for a while.

mixed-metal-triangle-necklace4 — Mixed metal triangle necklace, various textures, with patina and sterling silver chain

And of course, matching earrings

brass-triangle-earrings5 — triangle earrings, jewelers brass

But , as I mentioned before, rings had intimidated me. As had soldering. But while I was working on the rings, the soldering thing became less and less intimidating, and, dare I say, even enjoyable. Any new or improved skill opens a ton of doors and now I could finally unleash another aspect of my inner design beast!

I thought I could make a bigger ring and use it as a sort of frame for the puzzle piece that has been floating around my work table for a while, looking for its forever piece.

copperandsilver-puzzlepiecependant-vikingknitchain1 — Sterling silver and copper puzzle piece autism awareness pendant on handcrafted viking knit chain

Why not solder one of my moons to a silver ring next?

copper-moon-circle-necklace5 — Sterling silver and copper moon pendant on silver and copper chain

When I took my soldering class last year, the object was to make a pretty little silver ring that had a stone set in it.

And it went fine and dandy, until the very last and most crucial class. I attract bad stuff like crazy at times, especially when I am about to come down with a monster flu. Nothing went right that evening. The soldering didn’t work at all, I got my stone stuck in the setting, just trying to see if it fit, I even managed to put my saw blade in upside down and with the teeth facing the wrong way! In short, a disaster.

After that I gave soldering a couple more tries at home, before putting it on the “maybe some day” shelf. Until the ring bug bit me. And with a whole bunch of plain and textured rings under my belt, I finally gathered the courage to try myself at creating a ring with a small garnet set on it.

silver-garnet-ring2 — Sterling silver and garnet stacking ring

Redeemed at last! As of this writing I am waiting for a package to arrive from far far away, that will bring me the same size tourmaline cabochons in many different colors! What do you think?

Next came a little exercise in sweat soldering. I made these earrings first:

mixed-metal-circle-dot-earrings4 — Mixed metal circle and dot earrings

The patina looks a little weird in this picture, don’t you think?

And while I was working on them, I came up with this idea…

mixed-metal-dot-earrings3 — Mixed metal dot dangle earrings

So you see? I have turned into a total metal head. But I haven’t abandoned my beloved Czech glass beads. You know me better than that!

I’ll leave you today with my newest favorite creation!

copper-cuff-bead-studded1 — Copper and silver bead studded cuff

copper-cuff-bead-studded5 — Copper and silver bead cuff, side view

Ain’t she purdy?

And that’s why I haven’t written in a while:)

You can always come and check out what’s new by clicking on the link to my shop above, following my page on Facebook or Pinterest!

Have a great day!

Karin

May 21, 2016 By Karin M

Rings and fears

Been hiding away in my shop, I have:) Working on fun stuff!

Up until very recently, if you browsed my shop, there were no rings. Not that I don’t love them. I admire them in other people’s shops and on Pinterest all the time, but and this is a big BUT for me, making them and more specifically making ones that will fit, has been a major hangup for me.

Don’t ask me why, but the thought of angry customers beating down my door, demanding their money back because I am too stupid to make a ring in the size that fits them, gave me the shivers. The fears were real!

Of course I am being overly dramatic and having a terrific imagination doesn’t always work in my favor. They make tools for that. And if used as intended, you will actually wind up with a ring that is the correct size. I know that – now. And since that revelation and a little nudging by the universe, I haven’t been able to stop myself.

So I eased myself into the process by creating these:

Mixed-metal-stacking-rings14ga2 — Mixed metal, various textures

Then I was on a roll and moved on to a bigger stack

Mixed-metal-stacking-rings16ga7 — Stack of 7 mixed metal rings

I got a lot of nice feedback and an order for these:

sterling-silver-14gauge-stacking-rings3 — Sterling silver stack, various textures

Naturally I was curious to see what they would look like in a thinner gauge and larger stack, as well as a single texture.

Personalize the stack? Why not…

Personalized dainty stacking ring in mixed metal

What fun to be able to make something all your own and being able to change it from day to day!

I may have unleashed a monster;) As of this writing, I am eagerly awaiting my order from Rio, which will include thicker gauge sterling silver sheet, so I can create this style ring in all silver. I already own jeweler’s brass sheet and cannot wait to make them in it as well.

So, what do you think? Are you a fan of stacking rings? I can consider myself a convert, that’s for sure.

Which design is your favorite? Do you have a certain kind of project or design you’ve been intimidated by?

I say go for it! Personally speaking, the designs that are the most difficult in your mind are also the most rewarding when they turn out well.

Oh, and yes, they are all available for purchase in my shop right now:)

Have a great day!

Karin

April 26, 2016 By Karin M

One of a kind vs repeating a design

How has the end of April come so quickly? Whoa time, slow down a bit! Don’t know about you, but I am not in a hurry to get old…

Anyway, the end of the month means it’s JAC blog hop time. Carina from Violetmoon.nl over in the Netherlands was gracious enough to choose this month’s topic:

One of a kind vs repeating design.

If you create jewelry, or probably pretty much anything, and sell it, this will come up – for sure. Yes, you are an artist and ideally want all of your works to be stunning one of a kinds aka OOAK, but the reality is that sooner or later someone will want to buy the same pair of earrings/bracelet/necklace you just sold to someone else. Are you going to tell them that you only make them once? Probably not if you like selling your wares. So, how do I handle this in my own shop?

Well, lets look at some of the benefits of repeating designs:

allows you to calculate and plan for materials used
eliminates need for photographing – take pics once of a specific design and just renew when sold
can function as signature pieces for your business
gives admirers of your jewelry an opportunity to purchase something they may have seen on someone else
practice makes perfect – the more you create a certain design, the more you can tweak it

There are designs that really seem to resonate, like this pair of woven earrings I have carried in my shop for quite a while. I don’t see them “going away” any time soon. They are fun, unique and classic. I love making them and my customers like buying them.

Then there are those pieces that are created specifically with a certain type of customer in mind. They will likely include techniques that are a little more involved and challenging or time consuming and will often feature unique elements that would be difficult to duplicate consistently.

Benefits of one of a kind designs include:

opportunities to grow creatively by challenging design skills
motivation to learn new skills and use different materials
showcases artistic vision
adds to artistic credibility

copper-mixedpurple-czech-glass-bracelet1 — A one of a kind necklace featuring a lamp work glass cabochon, assorted mixed metal elements, hand crafted bead caps.

Since the design and creation of one of a kind pieces hones in on a potentially very limited market, for the time being, I have focused on a third category, which happens to be a hybrid of the two.

It includes designs that can be duplicated fairly easily and consistently. But it also gives my customer the option to customize it to their very specific tastes and preferences. Like the bead, but not the metal? No problem. Like the metal, but not the texture and/or patina? Let’s change that! Like the design with or without the beads? Your wish is my command:)

These earrings would be good examples of what I am talking about.

PicMonkey Collage (3) — Same style, different beads and textures

So it is the third, the hybrid option, I see my customers prefer the most. And I have to say I like that as well. It makes me feel good knowing that the recipient loves the design and either gets to have a hand in customizing or that I am able to give the same design a completely different look just by varying my components, metals, beads, texture and patina. It’s a win-win.

Which do you prefer? Do you try to create designs that re-invent the wheel each and every time or do you prefer to stick to more or less standardized creations that can be duplicated over and over?

Be sure to check out my fellow jewelry creators posts:

Catswire.blogspot.de

Violetmoon.nl

Jewelryartbydawn.blogspot.com

Karin

April 22, 2016 By Karin M

Patterned wire – a new crush

Recently I read about patterned wire on the Love my Art Jewelry blog. Then, when I was browsing to order silver bezel wire, I came across some really pretty patterned copper wire and I decided to give it a go. Oh my.

Floral anything is a huge trend this year, so this certainly ties in nicely with that, especially if you are not a big fan of big bold floral patterns, but still want to include something floral in your wardrobe.

First, I have to say that the wire I ordered is a lot sturdier than I had anticipated, and that is fantastic! My initial plan was to solder it flat onto some copper or silver sheet for added interest – I have yet to do that. Let me show you why:)

Here is the first pair of earrings I came up with.

When I posted them on my Facebook page, it was pretty obvious right away that I hit “pay dirt”. I love them so much I will have to make my self a pair.

And as it so often goes, I came up with another simple design as I was working on the mixed metal pair:

The pattern on this wire is very reminiscent of the gorgeous floral ribbons that are often used in traditional clothing in my native Bavaria.

When I was playing with my beloved Czech glass beads yesterday, I thought it would be fun to pair them with the ribbon wire in a bracelet. I formed small sections into tubes and created these elements.

They are not soldered, because they are purely decorative, but you most certainly can. It can be a bit tricky to meet up the seams exactly on such a small diameter tube, so I would not advise you to try to do this if you’re in a rush!

Here’s another, simpler bracelet:)

I have a few more designs in mind for this particular type of wire and I am already shopping for new patterns. The 3 feet I ordered are going fast!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for the latest updates!

Have you worked with patterned wire? Any tips or suggestions? I’d love to hear about your experiences with it!

Have a great weekend. Hope you get to enjoy some sunshine, no matter where you are:)

Karin

April 7, 2016 By Karin M

Czech glass – the little beads that could

My name is Karin and I am a bead addict.

I am not ashamed to admit it.

A few weeks ago I went to our local bead store. Little did I know that what started out as an innocent trip to exchange beads with my friend Marti, who was attending a beading session at the store, would launch me into a full-blown obsession with Czech glass. It was bead love at first sight!

The ammonite fossil bead reminds me so much of home!(I grew up in the area where Archeopteryx was found)

Czech glass beads come in a dazzling array of unusual colors, shapes and finishes. Czech bead making tradition is deeply steeped in history. The area, with its abundant resources, among them the high quality quartz and soda ash needed for glass production, ample wood to fire the glass furnaces, rivers to facilitate shipping and of course skilled glass workers was ideal for the production of superior glass articles of all kinds.

When choosing my materials, one of the most important criteria is not only the quality of the product, but also the manufacturing process. And Czech glass beads are a perfect fit for me. They continue to be produced in small scale cottage industries today, just as they have for ages. These small scale producers work from home to supply larger companies with superior quality beads, often with molds that have not changed in decades, still utilizing local materials.

Once part of the Habsburg Empire (Austria), the region, then known as Bohemia, and Sudetenland encompassed a large chunk of what is the Czech Republic today. The brilliant, dazzling quality of Czech lead glass lead to the production of affordable alternatives to priceless jewels, previously reserved for royalty and nobility. And with the birth of costume jewelry the production of glass beads really took off. Travelling salesmen not only sold their beads world wide, but were also able to return with specific knowledge of which kinds of beads were particularly popular and the glass makers adjusted their designs and production accordingly, giving them a huge market advantage.

czech-glass-beads2 — unusual shapes and finished make these beads stand out from the rest

Sadly, the need for seemingly frivolous and unnecessary items like beads, declined during the Great Depression that was followed by World War II. The subsequent communist government did not recognize the need for making glass beads and shifted production towards utilitarian household items. That is, until they realized the potential of the high quality beads as a major income source that would bring much needed foreign currency into the country once again.

But I have a personal connection as well…

You see, most of the German speaking population, and with them a large number of glass makers, were expelled from the Czech Republic during the tumultuous years following World War II – my mother’s family among them in 1946. While they were not glass makers, I do feel a strong connection to what is essentially part of my ancestry. I hope to be able to visit on my next trip to Germany!

I grew up roughly a two hour drive from the German/Czech border and was fortunate to be able to visit the area of Bavaria along the border, where the glass making continued to thrive, despite being cut off from the region to the east for many years. It wasn’t until 1989/90, when the iron curtain fell, that Germans had the opportunity to travel freely into the Czech Republic. I always found it so sad that my grandmother “Oma” had passed away just three short years before she would have been able to visit the places of her childhood once again.

Here are a few of the pieces I have created with them…

Czech glass beads should be dubbed “the little beads that could”, as it is nothing shy of a miracle that they still exist at all. They have survived political upheavals leading to war, communism, the introduction of highly competitive overseas manufacturers and yet today they are going stronger than ever. Truly like Phoenix from the ashes!

The individual families producing the beads today have often been involved in glass making for generations. And I, for one, certainly don’t mind paying a little more for their product, knowing it supports a craft so deeply steeped in tradition.

Have you created anything with these fabulous bead gems? If not, I hope you give them a try!

Karin

Here is a list of sources I found interesting and helpful:

My online bead museum

Bigbeadlittlebead.com

Harlequinbeads.com

My jewelry

Mixed metal mania

Karin

Like this:

Metal head

Karin

Like this:

Rings and fears

Like this:

One of a kind vs repeating a design

Karin

Like this:

Patterned wire – a new crush

Karin

Like this:

Czech glass – the little beads that could

My name is Karin and I am a bead addict.

The ammonite fossil bead reminds me so much of home!(I grew up in the area where Archeopteryx was found)

Karin

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My jewelry

Karin

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Karin

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Karin

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Karin

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My name is Karin and I am a bead addict.

The ammonite fossil bead reminds me so much of home!(I grew up in the area where Archeopteryx was found)

Karin

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