Belle Armoire Jewelry Published My Work!

I'm so excited!  Belle Armoire Jewelry Spring 2011 Issue has published a lovely article under "The Art of Presentation~An Encouraging Gift".  My packaging AND a couple of pictures of my Encouragement Necklaces have been featured!  Super woooo hoooo and happy dancin'!  (Sure do wish you could see the dance...imagine an uncoordinated grandma getting her groove on!)

Cynthia Levens is the author of this article and it's lovely, if I do say so myself.  OK, I'm a bit prejudiced~~lol.  Belle Armoire Jewelry is an extraordinarily beautiful magazine, and the chance to be included in its pages is a privilege.  And this issue really is an amazing one.  Lots of wonderful artists like my dear friend Diane Cook , Don Pezzano, Deryn Mentock , and the amazing Keith LoBue~~plus more!

This issue goes on sale tomorrow.  If you get the chance, page through this gorgeous magazine and look at pages 114-117.  And when you do, remember that a blessed and happy artist is beaming with the thought of sharing this with lots of dear friends and jewelry-lovers.  I thank you all so much for your love and support~~~ Have a smooth week dear ones!

ICE Success~~mostly! And showers ROCK.

I LOVE my resin pieces~   The pour was pretty successful.  More learning curve stuff:  bubbles!  I really thought I was vigilant about them, but after I went to bed, two more emerged.  So, I'll only pour in the AM when I can keep an eye on it for many hours. 

Also, some resin poured out the side of a few of the bezels.  I'll pick at it and sand it off.

And the shower was BLISS!  Not to mention that sleeping without compression stockings is way more comfortable.

OK, new week~~and I've got something kinda cool to share with you tomorrow...a feather in my jewelry-making hat.  :-)  See you tomorrow my friends!

Resin Pour and Compression Stocking Fun

Getting ready for a resin pour, with trepidation and trembling...

My first time to try ICE resin, so I'll review this site: http://www.iceresin.com/articles/  which gives tips for a successful pour.

I used some old jewelry resin last pour....a mistake!  Sticky mess....I've got high hopes for ICE.  

Totally unrelated~~Thursday morning I had a procedure at my healthcare facility to inject pesky varicose veins...which means this is the summer I can wear my cute flippy knee-length skirt.  Anyway, I've been required to wear compression stockings for at least 48 hours without removing them.  I can't WAIT until tonight when I can remove them and take a shower!!   Oh yay! 

So, wish me a good pour and lovely shower, OK?

May your Saturday night be at least as fun as mine!

Heart Earrings and Copper Pendant~~Hope Joy Blessings

One of the coolest things about making jewelry is being able to make presents for your friends. 

Hope, Joy & Blessings.

Wished for y'all.

Resin Cabochon Pendant & An Amazing Day

What a wonderful day~~After worship and a visit to a dear friend, I came home and glued myself to my workbench.   I finished the resin cabochon pendant!  With only a few mistakes along the way~~pretty amazing.  The wonderful part of the day was being fully engaged in creating this piece.  The hours disappeared.  When I came up for air it was 9:30, which is 30 minutes past my bedtime!  Seriously, on work mornings I wake up at 4:30...so an early bedtime is a must.  But today is President's Day and the Imaging Facility I work at is closed...whee!  AND my sweet darling husband is in Bakersfield with my little brother.  I'm luxuriating in sheer selfishness. 

Side view of the piece.    The cabochon is cold connected to the copper plate with the stamped tabs.  Below you can see the rivets I used to attach the tab sheet to the copper plate.  I'm so happy and proud of this!  I'm so grateful to God for this gift of creative joy.

Revelations Chapter 21: Verses 3-4  NLT

"I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people!   He will live with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them.  He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  For the old world and its evils are gone forever."

A new week my friends.  Now I get to catch up on laundry & stuff to get ready for work Tuesday.  But I hope I always hold the joy of play and creation deep in my heart.  Love y'all!

Looking HOT...Jewelry making safety~~

Oh yeah, there's something so alluring about a mature woman wearing reading glasses topped by safety glasses!!!  I'm working on a gift for a friend.  I'm using my Flex shaft to smooth the copper and I'm doing the smart thing and wearing my safety glasses. 

My sweet hubby is away this weekend, so I'm sending him and you all a kiss~~He doesn't find the safety-glasses look very hot.  Go figure.  :-)

Have fun today!

Resin & Sawing...little by little

Not-the-best photos, but I had a little time to work on the "resin cabochons", as I like to call them.  Resin is pretty neat in that you can pour over the top of older resin and it will fill in and look new on top.  "Find the blessings..." is all filled and drying now.  "I am the recipient..." has a much better surface, but the air bubbles I didn't get out the first time are still there.  Learning!   "I know it's possible..." was just an extra piece for fun and to use a bit more resin.

I must admit, I can't WAIT to use the Ice Resin I've ordered.  I'm looking forward to more clarity.

Ready to saw out the tabbed plate that will hold one of my resin cabochons.  Using brass, will rivet it to a copper back plate.  Little at a time!  Must persevere~~

Have a blessed Thursday y'all!! 

Resin Adventures...or misadventures?

Resin pour Saturday morning....had some leaking and bubbles.  I think I can fix "find the blessings in today".  I'll just pour more resin and let it cure!   I'll try smoothing some resin on top of the bigger bezel, but it may be a loss.  My favorite one turned out OK!  woo hoo!   My plan is to cold-connect it to a little pendant using tabs...it'll be a bit funkified looking and that's exactly what I want.  

I finally broke down and ordered Ice Resin today.  I used some old resin on these pieces that I'd purchased from Rio Grande years before I'd heard of the Ice, and the hardener is yellowed.  I thought I'd be frugal and use it up, but I may have to take it to the hazardouse waste drop off in our town.   Or maybe I can use it to glue things together?   Any ideas for yellow-y resin to use it up?  

OK, y'all have a blessed week!!!!   And is anyone else surprised that it's already Valentine's Day tomorrow??  Hope you get a hug and some love~~~

I Am the Recipient of Many Gifts....

I'm getting ready to pour some resin.  I played with resin a few years ago, and haven't been tempted by it until recently.  An idea kept fluttering and banging around in my brain, like a moth entrapped in a porch light.  So I've been slowly playing and gathering and thinking.  Didn't get as much done as I'd like, but I've always been quite slooooowwwwww.  :-)

Maybe I'll get to pour this weekend?  Who knows--life is so wonderfully full.

Bless you all, dear friends.  May your week continue in hope and love.

Productive Saturday at the Jewelry Bench

Two pairs of earrings~commission and gift.  Nothing earth-shattering, but feels good to be working at my bench. 

Super Bowl Sunday.  I watch commercials~  So far I LOVE the Dorito and Audi commercials.  More than half the game to go, so we'll see what commercial wins my vote for funniest.
Now y'all have a great week!  Or at least may you be given strength and grace to deal with your challenges~~

Local Honey, Eraks' Ransom and Happy Thursday

Good Morning my friends!  Thursday, and getting ready for my day job at the Imaging Clinic.  Bone density day for me~~  Gonna help the docs diagnose osteroporosis~~Good times!

Day off yesterday.  Coolest thing, found local honey!  It's the beginning of allergy season in Solano County.  And local honey is one of the weapons in my arsenal against coughing, snorting, cloggy breathing.  I located this farm online and my sweet sweet DH took me there after his workday...this is 1 gallon of honey!!!

Fun and frivolous pastime...this series is for kids.  My DH discovered it and read the books and recommended them....I'm on book 7.  Ya think I'm enjoying them?  lol!

OK, y'all have the bestest Thursday!   Bless you all!