Caution: Steep Learning Curve Ahead

I've been wire working as hard as ever over the last few weeks, but have very little to show for it. Got tons of failed projects all over the craft table. Some of those projects can be revived into new pieces at a later date but half of it has to go into the scrap bin:(

So did I learn anything? I really have no idea - I attempted some new cabachon caging techniques, (the standard type normally done with square wire) and I tried measuring carefully and/or being creative and in the end I had to walk away completely from the cabachon with nothing to show for it and no sense of having achieved anything:( The below picture only shows SOME of my failed caging attempts



I hated walking away from the learning without having achieved anything except for a feeling of 'ick' - but I was getting no where and it was time to fold that hand of cards.

One reason why so many of my projects are failing in my own eyes is that I want to do better craftmanship. I want to execute everything with excellence. What I love about wire is the way it drapes or folds or wraps when it is handled by a true craftsman. It looks so voluptuous and rich, it draws me in to touch it and be lost in all the yummy folds of it.

Sharilyn Millers work is like that - her technique/craftmanship shows up in such basic things as head pins and eye pins. All her wire has a lovely well-crafted look about it - everything is touchable and voluptuous, full of luxury.

She has started a new blog at http://wirejewelrylessons.blogspot.com/ If you are interested in wire work it is a lovely place to visit. She gives free lessons on the basics and tutorials of cool pieces of jewelry - all free. She lets her cats get into the tutorial pictures if they insist (as cats do) and the vibe on the blog is one of hanging out with the master artist herself in her own house.

It's been great for me to go over some of the basics on her site. I realized that I had picked up some bad habits and it was time for a refresher course in the basics.

I finally got around to working on a necklace that has been on my mind for several weeks. And it just turned into one more disappointment in a long string of them. I loved the design, but the craftmanship just wasn't what I wanted. The excellence just wasn't there.

It looks like this:

It's really not so bad is it? BUT I knew it didn't have her touch, especially the 'eye' part of the links where the jumprings go through. She would never make a link like that. Hers would have had some lovely roundness to it.

It was a tough project in other ways too- due to the fact that each link needed to be graduated in size to fit the graduated briolettes. Maybe it was a bit too ambitious. I had hoped that using a jig would give me good control over the wire work and uniformity, so when this is what I got using the jig I was pretty stumped as to how to proceed for improvement.

So I'm sitting there in a quandary, wishing I had a teacher who could help me with this link - and I thought "What would Sharilyn Miller do"? And because I have been reading her work lately and reviewing the basics I had some idea of what she might do.

I ended up using a knitting needle mandrel, and rolling down the end of each wire like an eye pin and measuring the amount needed for the eye in the same way she does it. Thanks Sharylin for help in the basics and I do think I like this necklace just fine:))

And on a final note, Brass, which had been permanently banished from my workbench forever, wormed its way back into my good graces and even found a home on a high end piece - Sheesh!!

Audreys Earrings

These earrings were made for my daughter's best friend. Audrey has provided food, shelter and adventure to her unemployed self all summer. That's a great friend!

I'm so glad we know you Audrey, you're a treasure! We're lucky to have you!!

They are made of chrysophrase and sterling silver.

Behind the Scenes

I want this blog to be about some of the trials and frustrations of my wire work. I have often wished I could have a behind the scenes peak at the work of some great wire artists. Usually I just get to see finished work that is stunning and beautifully completed as if it all came together for them effortlessly.

I work in a very solo and isolated way. Living in LA there are plenty of wire work classes and bead shops around, but the prices for these classes are astronomical. And if you purchase supplies from these shops you will pay more than double what you would pay on the internet for the same supplies. At this point, most of the classes offered would be too easy for me anyway.

So my work is done in a solo setting where I don't get a chance to see other people throw their pliers down or rewrap multiples times, or see what their 'failed project' box might look like or if they even have one.

Though I do my actual 'work' solo, if it were not for books and the internet I would not be where I am today. If not for Sharylin Millers "Bead on a Wire', I never would have had the courage to make this trip. Lynne Merchants tassels shown in "All Wired Up" are like a carrot on a stick to keep me going during hard times. Eni Okens fresh ideas opened up possibilites and her affordable tutorials and generosity helped me to think outside the box. Iza Malczyks eye popping designs set a bench mark for excellence that makes me try harder to wrap neatly and meet a higher standard.

Without these poeple I would not be where I am today. It would be something to see what goes on in their work areas. I am afraid everything does just comes together for them effortlessly!! ROFL - but... in my workshop/studio/errr... livingroom floor it looks more like this:

Working on a pair of earrings here. The first picture shows one earring that is on its second wrap. Still the wire isn't flowing but stumbling all over it's self.




The second picture finally gets it right. I'm very happy with the flow of wire here. Now I have to rewrap the first earring again, that will be the third time that earring gets wrapped as I tried to figure out how to make this work!




As of right now, I am not loving the spiral part of the design as much as I thought I would. It's looking like an after thought and unbalanced. Not sure what I will do about that.

I'm looking forward to oxidizing them soon!

Another 'morning coffee' necklace. This one has a large vintage chandelier crystal as the center piece. The upper half of the chandelier crystal is on the left hand side of the necklace.

The whole effect of this necklace was what I was trying to achieve with the failed "Sampler" design. This one just happened all on it's own without me trying.

I'm loving this double wrap coil and this color combination of silver and copper - I've already started another project in a similar vein.

This post is also a test to see if my pictures are brighter and not so dark as they have been.

Oops!!

I promised myself I would NOT make any jewelry today since I am behind on chores and responsibilities:((

Cat woke me up early and I fiddled with the coil in the below necklace while I drank my morning coffee. Than the fiddling turned in to real effort as a gorgeous necklace emerged.

I think this is the best copper sterling combo I have ever done and the matte sapphire stones look yummy with the rustic look of the wire.

Stones are more blue in color but once again my photo work makes them look black:(





I'm trying to be grateful that I have a full life rather than sorry for myself that I have no time to pursue this wire work as I please. Some days contentment wins, some days - 'sorry for myself' wins. I'm sure glad I got to create this beauty this morning!!

ReWrap

I decided to make another set of heart earrings since a friend immediately wanted to have a pair. These are the second set, wrapped more carefully due to task lighting and a magnifying glass, and also with more forethought gained from experience

I've been wanting to make these for quite some time. They are going in my Etsy shop but I might make another pair for myself I love them!
I never guessed that my work would mature this rapidly. This is just from one month of sustained effort, and also 5 days of vacation. I really need to fit some excerize into my life though!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I seem to have my holidays mixed up!! This is how I spent my Fourth of July!



A James Bond marathon and one 'Marley and Me' movie later we have the 'The Hearts'.

I'm thrilled with this design but they won't go up for sale because I feel the wrapping could have been done so much better. The wrapping technique failed due to some inexperience and also due to poor eye sight. I will have to go buy one of those large magnifying glass/lights if I continue to work this small. Which I suspect I will.

The size of the heart is only 1 1/8 " across. They look freakin' great on!!

It is also the first time I wire wrapped chain into the design and I'm liking that alot. It was less fiddly and easier to manage the chain than I thought it would be.

At a later date I may rewrap them again but after 15 hours of looking at them I need a break! I learned alot though and I'm loving the criss cross caging technique which I just came up with this week solely from necessity:)

The stones and coloring of the piece are quite wonderful, red sapphires, moonstone, labradorite, garnet and micro pearls.

I'm pretty excited about this last week being a big step forward for me in design and skill! I only hope I can keep it up;)