Happy Lapis New Year

Lapis!  I love it so much~  Sawn & textured copper, Hill Tribe silver beads, Sterling handcrafted earwires.  These were fun.  :-)

May all my blog friends have a safe New Year's Eve and a 2012 full of new confidence, trust, creativity & JOY!

I thank my Lord God for an amazing 2011!  May I be a better servant and friend in 2012.

Pearl & Brass Earrings

It's the end of 2011.  Here are some party earrings to get you ready to celebrate the New Year.  Pearl, Labradorite, Glass, Brass & Copper all come together.  They've been sold to a gal at my day job.  Party Time!

Praise God Earrings

Earrings for Me!  Something fun to wear-- to remind me to praise, love & follow my Lord.  Have a blessed Sunday all!

Busy~Blessed Family Stuff AND Earrings for Pilar

Earrings for my future son-in-laws "Madre".  She lives in Spain and loves jewelry~~hope she enjoys this pair.

House guests from Spain, two family weddings and a full full work schedule has made this gal a bit loopy.  Here I am with my nephew at the kid's table at my goddaughter's wedding  He's a goof and I enjoyed joining in the fun. 

I sure hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you celebrate this holiday.  I can't wait to see the family and laugh and talk and hug and eat goodies.  Bless you all!

Grateful Living

Molly's "Grateful Living" blog is featuring a post by me today.  Please stop by!  And may you have the best Friday~

http://beautifullybrokenme-gratefulliving.blogspot.com/

For Terri Sue

 A couple of months ago, my friend Terri Sue made some unique and groovy luggage tags for me and my hubby.  I promised to make her a pair of earrings in return....(crickets chirping)...ok, I took a looooong time to make these, but I think she'll love 'em.  Copper, brass, base metal, emerald calcite...."Love Earrings"

Love you all!  Have a great week!

Brace Face

New adventure begins today.

My bottom teeth had shifted a lot in the last few months, which is common, I'm told, for "older" adults.  ( yeah, thanks a bunch. )  So for the next year to 18 months I'll have braces and an extraction----yippee!  The biggest thing I can say is, "Thank you God that we have dental insurance."  Even with insurance it will lots of $$.  But better to do this now than to have a worse problem later. 

So today I will start to learn about dental wax, floss threaders and water piks.  :-) 

Life is never boring.  And believe me, I KNOW I'm blessed! 

Hope you are enjoying your blessings and gliding through any new adventures in your life.  You are a doll to stop by!

Road Trip

Annual Anniversary Road trip with my sweetie!  We traditionally celebrate our September anniversary in October.  Why?  It just always seems busy busy busy in September.  Anyway, we always get away for a day or two.

We tooled up to the California Gold Country.

Jackson! 

This darling shop holds treasures galore.  "Tinker O'Brien" Vintage & Uncommon Goods.  22 Main Street, Jackson, CA.  The owner is the friendliest darlingest gal!

This piece is for sale in that wonderful shop~~hope it finds a nice home with someone who needs to be encouraged!

Stephanie Lee is soooo down-to-earth! And part saint.

I had an amazing time at Art Is You in Petaluma, CA.  Stephanie Lee's class "Pipe Dreams" did not disappoint.

The class was packed.  Stephanie and her husband Vinnie constantly circulated about the room, instructing & encouraging.

Stephanie is so very hands-on!

And she's such a darling gal.  She signed my book, and posed for two pics of us together.  Just like BFFs!  Oh yeah.

I'm still such an amateur at soldering, but I sure felt better when most of the people at my table had a challenging time to create the "barrel component" of the pipe dream piece.  I discovered that no one just jumps out of bed one day, a master torch worker and solderer!    My finished product is wonky and a bit of a mess, but I'm so proud of it.  This old dog worked on a new trick and enjoyed expanding her skills and comfort level a bit. 

Caroline, my Christmas doll, is currently wearing my necklace.  I think it looks nice on her!

May you all have a full good week~~~Thank you for dropping by!

Stephanie Lee is So Cool...and I'm not!

First off, let me say that I LOVE this book. I bought "Semiprecious Salvage" by Stephanie Lee in March of 2008.  Over three years ago.  Her "rustic" style of jewelry gave me more courage to play & try my own crazy ideas.  I dog-eared this book. The sure sign of book-love.  And I'm going to take a class with Stephanie this Sunday in Petaluma!!! Art Is You~~Yay!

Here is a page from Stephanie's book.  For 3 and 1/2 years, I've wanted to make these cool solder bezel charms.  It took forever to find copper tape (in the garden department in Home Depot!!) and even after I found the tape, I was just chicken to attempt it.  Today I decided that I had to "woman up" and try.  Just try. 

So here I am, modeling the latest attractive facewear.  Bifocal glasses, magnifying reader glasses and respirator mask.  I know I'm hot!  Oh yeah.  I set up my soldering station and began the experiment.  And.....I sucked!!! Seriously, pardon my vulgarity, but I was sooooo clumsy and awkward and hilarious...The Three Stooges all rolled into one person.  Solder dripping everywhere, jump rings falling over and sticking where they shouldn't....I had to laugh.  And say a few naughty words.

Here's my soldering station after I made a mess.

Here's what I did.  First one far left.  Total fail!  The jump ring simply would NOT stand up.   It's soldered to the side looking dumb.  Middle and right ones are so goofily amateurish but I'm wearing them!

Got a little more comfortable with my little torch.  Yay!

And here's me without my gorgeous facewear and extra glasses.  I'm pretty proud of my funkily soldered stones and ready to have an amazing time at Stephanie Lee's class.

I wish all my jewelry friends could be there too~~would THAT be fun.

Anyway, may you all have a blessed week and may creative moments light up your days.  Love you!

Stephanie Lee Class!!!!

Next Sunday, one week from today, I'll take a class with one of my very favorite artists, Stephanie Lee !
 Art Is You West Coast will be held only 45 minutes from my home.  When I heard that Stephanie was going to be teaching, I asked my DH for my birthday/Christmas present in this one class:  Pipe Dreams .  It's something totally different than I ever create, which I hope will expand my skills a bit and make me more comfortable with my little torch.  The biggest part is getting to meet Stephanie!  I've been following her blog for a few years and I've dog-eared her book, "Semiprecious Salvage".  I'm so excited, so jazzed~~Trying to gather all of the necessary items for the class.  Making sure I pack gluten-free-sugar-free snacks (walnuts and organic raisins, anyone? lol)
In between I'm trying to clear off my workbench~~it's out of control!

So,  Monday's coming.  May you all have a blessed week.  May all challenges be met calmly and all joys treasured deep in your heart.

Wooo Hoooo!! Published in Belle Armoire Jewelry Autumn 2011!!!!!

"Tokens of Encouragement"

Resin, Paper, Copper & Brass Pendants

The directions for these pieces and lovely pictures were published in the Autumn 2011 Belle Armoire Jewelry!!  I'm sooooo excited!! The article looks so wonderful and I'm so proud to have my "babies" published.  BAJ is an amazing magazine, and I'm so very honored to be included.  

 Here's a link to their website:  ( I hope I linked this correctly)

http://www.stampington.com/html/ba_jewelry_autumn11.html
Look in the table of contents~~page 26.  My article!  My name!  I'm hyperventilating!  I made all of my coworkers read the article~lol~and I'm taking it to my nephew's birthday party to make my Mom and other relatives enjoy it too.  Heck, I'll tie 'em down!  :-)
Yes, there are other artists' work in the magazine too.  Lots of amazing artists, amazing jewelry.  So the honor is real and my smile is wide.  Thank you Belle Armoire Jewelry!!!

Etching Fun For Scottish Games

Lots of etching happening today.  Presents for my family!  A few years back I bought a "Kerr" family crest stamp.  It features the Kerr motto:  Sero Sed Serio, which translates as "Late But In Ernest".  I believe it refers to a battle centuries ago where the Kerr warriors arrived late but enthusiastically joined in the fray.  Fortunately, no battles today, thank goodness!

 I took 18 gauge copper sheet and roughed it up a bit with a Scotch Brite pad.  Then I stamped it with Stayz On black ink.  After it dried well, I cut out sections and suspended them upside down in my little container of ferric chloride.  Every 5 minutes or so I'd shake the container for a cleaner etch.  I removed the copper and cleaned it up, cut out my shapes,and antiqued them in liver of sulfur.  I'm also going to try a couple of other patinas:  verdigris and ammonia-and-salt-water.  Then I'll seal them, add jump rings, leather cord and take 'em as presents for my fellow Kerrs when we gather at the Pleasanton, CA Scottish Games on Labor Day weekend. 

Here is some of my first attempts.  I need to get to work!  May y'all have a blessed weekend!

Playing with Copper Sheet, Wire and Tea Green Chalcedony Drops

If you are creative, I'll bet you've had times when an idea pesters you.  A desire to create something just won't leave you alone.  Will not "leave you be".

The chalcedony drops were purchased over a year ago and languished in my stash.  I saw a necklace created by Marie Dodd, her August 9, 2011 post.  See the cool elongated metal tubey thing dangling in the middle?  I couldn't get it out of my head.  I knew I had to play with a drop to get that "metal tube" feeling.  Tonight I sat down with 26 gauge copper sheet, copper wire, shears, bench block, hammer, file, pliers and liver of sulfur. Bliss~

How lucky to get to make "stuff"! 

I hope you get to scratch your creative itch this weekend.

Bless you all!

LOTS of Family Time~~Tired but Happy

Since my blog is called "chriskerrjewelry" I'm gonna show you these earrings first~~My beautiful stepdaughter's future MIL loves jewelry.  Every time my DSD (dear step daughter) visits from Spain, I try to make earrings for her to take back home.  "Calm" & "Peace" is not what we've had this last month!  But it's what I always wish for my loved ones.

My hubby has spent months planning a family reunion with cousins from his mother's family.  We all camped at Huntington Lake, Upper Billy Creek .  It was 7,000 feet above sea level, tent camping, only one flush toilet area, no showers (!).  I must humbly admit that I'm not a camper.  I've been tent camping only a few times and NEVER without showers!  I was nervous.  4 nights.  Could I do it? 

The flush toilet structure.  No hot water.  I became an expert at washing in freezing water and dealing with it.  And I LOVE Huggie's wipes for personal cleanliness when one can't take a shower!  I could write a commercial for them!

It was BEAUTIFUL!  The air was so clean.  Even though I gasped a bit while hiking (7,000 feet up kicked my butt!), I felt alive and happy.  God's beauty heals.  It fills up the weary spaces with peace....

Huntington Lake, me and my sweet sweet man.  Blessings and beauty.

Then back home for more family~~

 Home again, unpacking and fitting in more relatives' visits.

So we had the reunion.  The kids from Spain stayed two weeks.  My middle little brother and three of his kids spent a couple nights.  My littlest brother and his new bride visited too.....Wonderful visits! 

But we are tired. 

Tired and full of amazing memories.

So it's time to recharge.  Time to lay low for a bit. 

I hope your summer is a good one.  I pray your life is full of simple blessings!  And a daily hug or two.

Thank you Shannon!!!

Yay!  I recently won a giveaway hosted by the talented Shannon Levart .  She'd posted a pic of this darling piece, and my name was drawn for the prize!   The package arrived yesterday, but when I arrived home from work, my sweet hubby was working very hard to be ready for our DD and her fiance.  They flew in from Madrid last night, and with all of the talking & laughing & settling them in, I didn't get a chance to even open the package.   Early this morning, I opened it before they woke up.  Isn't it lovely?  I can't look at it without smiling. :-)

Here's the box.  I LOVE Shannon's card.   Doesn't she make the most wonderful pieces? And her patinas are mesmerizing.  Check out her work at her Etsy shop .  You'll see eye candy~

Thank you so very much Shannon!  Your generosity is matched by your wonderful work!

Visitors from Spain~~

They are coming from Spain!  Our girl and her fiance will be leaving tonight and we will see them tomorrow night!  Wooooo hooooo!

More Ice Resin~~Serenity, Joy Resilience Pendant

New resin piece.  It's so fun to create  a piece with positive thoughts encased in clear hardness.  To be able to hold and reread encouraging words throughout the day.  Blessings!

"Dream & Grow" my friend.  Summer dreams can encourage love, encourage peace. 

Have a lovely Thursday!  Savor the present moment~~find the bits of goodness. 

Goof Off Pendant

Lovely warm Saturday in Vallejo.  I'm "bach-ing" it , with my sweet DH down in Bakersfield.  Working on jewelry, goofing off.  Made this smoky quartz, brass, turquoise, copper & silk pendant for myself.  Maybe I should call it my "Goofing Off" Pendant~~ :-)
Must sweep up dog fur today, clear clutter, do laundry AND work on resin pendants.  And MUST smile at myself in the mirror, dance a bit while drinking my water, talk to the kitties and thank God for my blessed life.  I'm so grateful that I live in the United States of America.  I'm so grateful that my grandparents immigrated from Czechoslovakia and Poland so many years ago, bravely starting new lives.  Blessed indeed.

May your weekend be truly good.  Filled with all that enters your heart with quiet joy~~

Resin~Fill your mind with thoughts of faith, hope & courage

 Finished a pendant today.  Been plugging away for a few weeks, a bit at a time.  Resin is a medium that still holds challenges for me, but the ability to encase a message is wonderful!  This piece consists of resin, paper, copper, brass, nickel, a quartz bead, silk ribbon and steel wire. 

 I don't know if you can read the back easily.  It says, "your life will be filled with joy". 

The side view shows more stamping and how I connected the piece.  All cold-connections, all pondered and slowly assembled.  Lots of humming, smiling to myself, listening to Christian music and an old chick flick or two.  Don't think I ever get enough of "You've Got Mail"~~lol!  Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are such a fun combination. 

It's Wednesday, and June is almost gone.  Astonishing how fast the time rushes by.   May the rest of your week be blessed and joyfully start the new month. 

Heart Dangle~Old Pendant

Playing with the mother-of-pearl hearts given to me by Diane Cook~~fun times.  :-)  This pendant is old, but I wanted to add a new heart dangle that I created using the heart bead, a teensy piece of brass that I pierced and stamped, wrapped with steel wire and attached with silk embroidery ribbon.  I'm in LOVE!

Fun day of puttering at home, doing laundry and going to dinner with my DH and one of our girls and her boyfriend.  They drove here from Sacramento...an hour and a half!  And we went to Nantucket Restaurant in Crockett, CA.  Scallops and shrimp~~~yum!

Hope your weekend is full of moments that recharge your soul~ 

Bless you all!

Ice Resin "Peace" "Hope" Earrings for Kate

Trying a new Ice Resin project.  I made these teeny little cups of copper, glued in teensy words of encouragement and filled them with resin.  I made a bit of a mess, with resin all over the cups, which had to be peeled off by yours truly.  But the results are kinda cool. I'll show you the pair of earrings I made for myself next post, but for now I wish you all a Thursday full of peace and hope. 

LeeAnn's Bracelet~Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Copper

My high school friend LeeAnn asked for a special bracelet.  She's dealing with health issues, and thought an encouraging bracelet would be just the ticket.  It took me a few months to fit in the time to create it.  You know how that goes~~spouse,work, church, family, other obligations.  LeeAnn waited patiently.  And waited.  And FINALLY she received it last week.  She's happy.  I'm happy.  A perfect ending!

May your week be full of happy times.  And may all of the challenges be surmountable!  Bless you all.

Silver Earring Birthday Presents

Happy Birthday Cathy!   Silver & Pearls & Steel wire.

Happy Birthday Marlene!  Silver & Amethyst.

Happy Birthday Bailey!  Silver~

I'm blessed to have so many wonderful gals in my family.