Charmita Class Coming Up!

Next Sunday afternoon:  Charmita Class at Benicia Bead!

Here's a necklace I made this weekend and the charms are all using that technique.

It's a fun technique~necklaces, bracelets, earrings can all be created.  I KNOW it'll be a fun afternoon!  The class is full.  Seven students, and I'll be hopping.  :-)

A new week~~Mid October!  Golly, this year had flown by.  So full of blessings and challenges.  May this new week bring you joys!

Scottish Games 2013

Scottish Games!  Pleasanton, California.  Labor Day weekend.  Every year my husband and his son and brother volunteer, along with many other dedicated souls, to help set up stages and misters and benches and lots of stuff for the Games.

 I make jewelry.  :-)  This year, I wanted to wear something that looked a bit tribal and honored my husband's family name.  So I had a piece of etched copper I'd set aside a couple of years ago.  The etching was of the Kerr family association crest.  

I patinaed it and then colored it in a bit with Gilder's Paste, which was an experience of messiness! lol  I can be a bit sloppy.

Next, I added some dimples with my favorite dimple pliers that I bought from Richard Salley.  LOVE them.  

Then, I riveted it to some stamped and hammered nickel.  Added a crystal drop, hung it on wire with embellishments and was happy with my new piece~

Is my husband darling??? Yep, he's mine, all mine!  

We had a fun time.  Saw LOTS of vendors and fun items for sale.  Exercised lots of self control and bought very little.  

Rocked out to the Celtic bands and droning bagpipes.  Saw every type of kilt and crazy outfit possible.  :-D

Wonderful time.  Another year gone by so fast!

October getting so close~~may this fall season be full of blessings for you all, my friends.  

Scottish Games Jewelry Bench Bliss

A few years back I purchased a Kerr crest rubber stamp.  Two years ago I stamped a bunch of copper and brass and etched some simple pendants.  

This year I wanted to play around with it.

Brass, Copper, Nickel: Etched, Sawn, Patinaed, Composite leafed, Pounded, Stamped and Riveted.  All cold connected.  

"Sero Sed Serio" means "Late But in Earnest".

I have no idea why they came up with that family motto.  :-)  

Anyway, I've been playing at the bench ALL DAY.  Now I must get in the kitchen, make my lunch for tomorrow's workday, pick out my scrubs & stuff, clean the cat box, wash dishes and shower and get in BED.  

Hope your Wednesday was as fun as mine.  Bench bliss....nothing like it!

Patience! And a wonderful friend

My dear friend Kate has wanted a "Trust God" copper bracelet for at least 2 years.  I kept making excuses and keeping busy with everyone else's project.  

Well, today I finished it!  Finally.  

I pray Kate is encouraged by its message.  She is a blessing to me.

Happy end of January 2013!  One more day left.....

Sueno~~Dream

What a great afternoon!  My darling DH is at the kiddo's house in Elk Grove helping with a non-fun bathroom wall & window repair.  Poor guy!  After church, he drove the hour and 15 minutes there and I stayed home and puttered.  Then plunked at the bench and finished up this piece that I'd started a couple of weeks ago. 

Ooooooooohhhhhh was it the most fun in the world to be in "the zone".  4 hours. Total bliss. 

Now my neck and back are telling me what a dumbhead I'd been, but my heart is telling me that this was exactly what I needed.  Thank you God!

Wishing you all a good strong great week~~

Stamping Copper & Brass and Spanish on the Brain

Getting ready for my stamping class at Benicia Beads on February 25.  This piece is a bit more complicated than we will attempt in the 3 hour class, but it's a great gift for when we travel to Spain in May.

Today was my day off.  I listened to a Spanish TV channel all day.  While I was stamping, washing laundry and working around the house.  My brain is fried!!!  But I'm determined to feel more comfortable with the language before we head out.  My DH is depending on me~

May you all have a non-brain-fried rest of the week!

"Sing Praise" Stamped Pendant

Had a front bottom tooth pulled yesterday....ugh.  I look like snaggle-toothed granny right now.  The braces will even everything out in the future, but it was a shock when I first spied myself in the mirror!

Anyway, I spent all afternoon playing at my workbench.  I used metal shears and mostly simple stamps and basic wireworking to make this "Sing Praise" pendant.  I was engaged, happy, "in the zone".  I love that feeling!

A new week~may you all feel renewed and grateful for small blessings.  Sending you a hug~ 

"Copper Reverie"~

The process:

The idea of quartz crystals wired to copper kept bumping around in my head.  My first attempt to bring my dream to reality resulted in the first "rough draft" above.  I love primitive, but this was too primitive for me.  Sooooo I gave it another go.

My second "rough draft".  This gave me a chance to tweak the idea and see how practical it was.  After this, I could saw my copper shapes, punch holes, smooth the edges, stamp and brush salt water on it to float over ammonia.  Then came sealing, wiring and ta-da (!)

~~picture-taking!

I love how they turned out.  I'm calling them "Copper Reverie".   First pieces of 2012.

Now it's time to return to reality.  Time to finish the laundry, make my lunch for tomorrow's work day, and wash my hair.  And maybe I should get out of my jammies?  It's only 2:20 in the afternoon!  :-)

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.