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~~

"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~ 

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!

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. 

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!

Cold Connection Encouragement~Citrine, Heliador, Copper and Brass

 That's what my workbench looked like last week.  I was riveting another "Encouragement Pendant".  See my cute little clamps?  They really help.  And the painter's tape helps keep marks away~~

Tah Dah!!!  It's finished today.  I get to test-wear it to Women of Faith conference in Sacramento on Friday.   I'm so looking forward to an amazing time with friends and a bunch of other Christian women.  How lucky I am~ How blessed I am.

And here's a present for a lovely niece.  She'll get this Saturday.  I hope she likes them!  She specified "small and hearts"....OK!
Have a wonderful Thursday, all.  Veteran's Day.  Thank you, every Veteran.  Thank you for protecting my wonderful country.  God bless you.

 I finished this Cold Connection Encouragement Necklace~~

 I've been holding onto this great piece of labradorite for a while...doesn't it glow?  It's time for it to grace someone's neck.

 It's time to encourage someone with a hidden message.  We all should be calm in our hearts!

Thanks for taking a look at this piece...

I sure hope your week went well~~If you faced sorrows, may they be lessened.  If you felt joy, I hope you shared it!

Tomorrow my DH and I will travel to the Gold Country in California~~about 1and 1/2 hours away.  We'll peruse a huge used bookstore.  I'll immerse myself in a bead store and a trading post for jewelry goodies.  Then we'll eat a lovely lunch, walk through antique shops and drive home with smiles.  Wish you could all join us! 
Have fun my friends~

Copper Etched Labradorite Pendant Pics for Rina

 Rina, jewelry-making friend, asked me to post pics of the back of the piece I just posted...so here you go Rina!   This is the back of the top plate (I call this the "bead plate")

 Here is the front of the brass plate.  After I wire the quartz crystal onto the bead plate, I'm going to rivet that bead  plate onto this brass plate.

This is kinda how it will look~~then I'll curl the strip on top to make a bail.  Voila!!! tah dah!!!  There will be 5 rivets, so that may take some time.  Gotta work a little at a time so my gimpy wrist doesn't ache.   AND so I get some laundry and other things done on my day off~~~or we will live in clutter and dog hair.  :-)

Have a super Wednesday!

Etched Copper and Labradorite Work In Progress~WIP

Just wired the labradorite onto the etched copper.  Slowly and surely this encouragement pendant is coming together!   Second time I wired the labradorite.  First time I attached it then carefully cut the wire in the wrong place!   Said a semi-bad word and put it down.   Waited 2 days.   Today~~~success!  Next I must wire on the quartz crystal.

It's pretty this morning in Vallejo, CA.  Northern California is going to be cool-ish and clear.  I took a great pic of the morning sky from my backyard, but I can't upload it for some reason....hmmmmm....computers and I don't always live in perfect harmony~~

I Heart my Jeweler's Saw

I really love my jeweler's saw...honest!  I know many jewelry makers hate the saw.  It's slow and can be difficult and "sticky" to use with copper and brass sheet.  I used to hate mine until I tore the ligaments in my right wrist.  Even after surgery, I can't use the metal shears without pain....soooooooo I'm getting so proficient with my saw.  And the attractive shelving cushion stuff that I rubber-banded on the handle just makes it easier for my hand and wrist.   lol~~high-tech!   Anyway, Susan Lenart Kazmer has a great video on how to use the jeweler's saw:  http://objectsandelements.com/shop/instructional-videos-br-page-3

I'm so grateful to be able to work on some new pendants.  I call them "cold-connection encouragement pendants" and I'm making a couple for Studio 41 in Benicia, CA.   They're gonna be cool.  I'll keep you updated~~

Sing the Dreams of Your Heart

New piece!
Chrysocola and labradorite on etched brass riveted to copper. The idea for this piece had been rattling in my head and telling me it wanted to be created for a while. I love it! The necklace includes beads of abalone, fluorite, copper, brass, glass and leather~~fun stuff goin' on here. Comfortable to wear too~~

I love the message on the back! It's a fun challenge to think of encouraging messages.



Etched brass and abalone earrings.


Scottish Games in Pleasanton Ca this weekend. Oh, the bagpipes, the kilts, the crowds and vendors. The silly t-shirts with the funny sayings! My DH worked his volunteer position in operations. He worked hard and loved it~~

Well, another Labor Day almost over. The official start of "back to normal". Need to savor every single day~~they are speeding by so rapidly.
Bless you all.

Love, Laughter and Joy~~Necklace for Ieshia

I'm so happy to finish this commission piece for a friend. She needed it last Sunday! But the wrists tell me how fast I can work~~And they are my boss! I've found that wrist braces help so much.
Citrine, Peridot, Brass, Copper, Glass beads too.



One rivet is a bit funky....rats! But I'm getting better. These are brass escutcheon nails from Ace Hardware. I love the way they look~


You are all wished LOVE, LAUGHTER AND JOY~ It's Thursday my friends. Time to do yoga and have a joyful day. May we all be a blessing to others!

For Monika

Monika owned a wonderful gallery in Sonoma. She sold more pieces of my jewelry than anyone simply because she believed in me! She told me over and over how fabulous my work was. She made me a better artist and continues to influence my belief in my abilities. This pendant is for her, to show her my love and encouragement. How wonderful that God brought her into my life! And I wish her the best future~~~

Fundraiser Piece

Ryolite, Prehnite and Copper Pendant


Necklace of Peruvian Chalcedony, Copper, Citrine, Ryolite, Glass, Copper Chain.

My DD asked me for a piece for an American Cancer Society fundraiser. This piece evolved very easily. My DH had prostate cancer two years ago. It was caught very early, so we are optimistic about no recurrences. But I look forward to the day that cancer is an obsolete term, when no man has to have prostate surgery, no woman has to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy...
Hope you have a blessed day. I'm sitting here in my pajamas at 10:13 AM and need to clean off my workbench. And vacuum! Dog and cat hair begone!
Hugs and love to you all~~

Brazilian Occo Geode...yum!

About 3 weeks ago I visited my LBS (Local Bead Store). Beading Around the Bush in Benicia, CA...I LOVE this shop! Anyway, there in a little tray on a low table, I saw them....Brazilian Occo Geode slices...I fell in love immediately. I caressed them and admired their beautiful sparkles. Three made their way into my clutches. I also bought some amethyst points. I had a vision of a pendant. I wanted to explore the idea of a "hidden blessing", a gift from God in an unexpected place.

After sawing the brass, sanding all the rough spots, stamping it a bit, drilling two inner holes for the point, I set the occo into the brass and wired the point into the middle. Then I sawed out the copper shape, stamped the words, etched the copper and riveted the brass to the copper. This took me two weeks! I worked here and there after my day job. And thought about it many random moments. Jewelry making is so engrossing, with challenges and triumphs. ( And occasionally the agony of defeat! lol!)


The rest of the necklace was pretty easy. I love stringing and this one really went together easily.


Earrings to go with the necklace.

Well, it is Mother's Day tomorrow. I have an amazing Mom and I respect and honor her. Hopefully I do this every day, not just a Sunday in May! :-) I hope you all remember your Mom tomorrow and find a hidden blessing from her guidance. Bless you all!

Amazonite Trapped Bezel Pendant

Hello my blog world friends~ Another Trapped Bezel pendant~Amazonite this time. Kept me engaged and busy on my day off!

I'll wear the pendant this Saturday at the Sacramento Area Mammography Seminar. When you are a radiologic technologist, you must earn continuing education credits for your license renewal. And if you are a mammography technologist, many of them must pertain to mammography. This is all making sense! I love this seminar as it is packed with other technologists like myself. Dedicated to saving lives. Dedicated to learning new techniques and ideas. Woo hoooo~

May your weekend be as inspiring as mine! And may God bless and protect you all.

Richard Salley Rocks!

Richard Salleyis an amazing artist. In his blog he showcased a wonderful "trapped bezel" pendant of etched copper and brass and a marble. I loved the way he set the marble and adapted it to this piece of Peruvian Blue Opal. It's fun to try new techniques...makes the brain work a bit. Maybe it'll make me smarter??? Nah!!LOL

May your Friday be smooth sailing into a lovely weekend. God bless you all~

Commission Pendant Completed!

My commission piece is off to its new owner~~and I'm happy with it. I love etched copper and stamped silver...and want to play with them some more. But I'll need to clean my house a bit before I can play again. Rats. I keep looking for the House Fairy and she never visits.

I'm reading a wonderful book by Mary Jenson, "Over Salad and Hot Bread", exploring the Christ-filled friendship between two women--one middle-aged, one elderly. Nancy, the older friend had some advice I wish to follow:

"God has given all of us a choice in how we deal with our lives," she said,"and I chose long ago to count my blessings. No matter how dismal the moment in time, there are always blessings. My natural instinct is 'Yes! Let's! I want to!"
"I love the idea," she said,"that we get up in the morning and look in the mirror and see the reflection of our attitudes. Our choice for the day is right there in the mirror."

And so many times I turn my face to the negatives! Please Lord help us all to look to our blessings and look to You. Thank you and in Jesus' precious name I pray~Amen!