Four Seasons of Jewelry

Leah's week 52 - we're done!

Leah's week 52 - we're done!

I can't believe the first FSOJ year is over! Well, technically tomorrow. Here's my piece, another fused pendant. This one is made from silver scrap, which may  include sterling, fine silver, and Argentium sterling silver. I have a small scrap jar that any silver scraps go in if I'm not sure exactly which alloy they are, and separate scrap jars for each kind of silver too.
After fusing (and cleaning up the metal - sterling turns black when heated, so I pickled the piece until much of the black was gone, leaving a bit to give it an oxidized look, then had to polish out some rough spots, and finally tumbled to make sure everything really had fused), I embellished this pendant with a bunch of stone beads, including amethyst, labradorite, green garnet, peridot, citrine, and a couple unknowns (one or two might be glass, another seems like it's some type of agate).

Week 52 - Remy

Oh my!.. I just cannot believe how fast this last FSOJ has flown. The week's due days seemed to come faster and faster.
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!!!!!
The pieces you all pulled outta the bag this year were mind blowing.  It's awesome to look back through the years and see how far we have progressed in skill and diversity. The  FSOJ is a perfect way for us to see this easily.

It was an awesome challenge as usual.  Most of the year the challenge for me was just to get something made, photographed and posted each week.  I'm personally proud and erm amazed that I have actually stuck it out for the year,. even if it meant pumping out  a lot of quick pieces and being late during some periods of the year. 

Anyway,.. the finale.. Week 52.
This week I had my second session at the torch,  aaand the first time I have used my own torch (Bobcat) which I have only had for just over 3 yrs *gasp*.

Here is my first bead set, and since one bead from last session (bead 11) missed the photo shoot,. these beads in this set are beads 13 to 20 in order of making. I wanted to make a set especially so I could use them to make this final week's piece.

and bead 12 (first bicone), then beads 21 & 22 were messing around with another technique,… a little outta shape,. cos I think I got excited about the cool happenings inside, I forgot to get them back to shape, oops,lol.

And finally..... my first necklace using my own lampwork beads!! Whooot! I'm pretty pleased with myself, lol.

Remy :)
My FSOJ Journal
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Jewelry Making Tutorials
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Week 52 - Slim Copper Bangle Bracelets

I really wanted to do a spectacular piece for this last week, but darn, I still have that virus.  I'm brain dead and my muse has drifted away.
This  week I did three bangle bracelets.  I used memory wire as the core and 26 gauge copper wire for wrapping.  Its hard to tell in the photos...the glass beads are three different shades of green.  I oxidized the copper to finish.
I really enjoyed everyone's work and look forward to the next season!
-Nancy

Summer, Week 52 - Celebration - Ellen/rubystar

We made it! 52 weeks!!!!! Wow, it went fast, didn't it?! I'm so glad I survived the FSOJ. We should have t-shirts.  ;-)

My "celebration" entry is my first attempt at Remy's woven sculpture pendant tutorial. What do you think, Remy???

I first read that loooooong and rather daunting tutorial and, completely overwhelmed, promptly filed it for later! LOL! But I had to at least attempt it for this last week of the FSOJ. I followed the first steps very closely to make the frame and the bail properly and securely. Then the thing just took on a life of its own. I see lots of places where I need improvement, but I'm proud to have attempted it.

The coiled loop and crystal at the bottom are attached to the frame via jump rings and actually dangle. (If you know me, you know that I had to have some movement! LOL!)

I wore this pendant on an omega chain to a party the other day and had quite a few ooohs and ahhhs, along with several requests for my business card! I have a show at the end of October, so I think I may need to make a couple more of these before then. (I wonder what each one will look like!!!)

I want to say a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who posted their inspiring work each week and to those who commented on my pieces. I really took all your critiques, as well as your kudos, to heart and learned from the whole experience.

Onward and upward into the new FSOJ.....

Ellen  :-)

P.S. I moved this from the wrong folder, and don't know how to move the comment it got while there, so I'll say THANKS, Erin!!!  :-)

Summer, Week 51 - Ellen/rubystar

I like the idea of convertable jewelry and I've been trying to think of ways to create pieces that can be worn more than one way. This necklace features a detachable dangle pendant, so it can be worn as a simple choker style or offer a more dramatic look. There's a teeny, tiny spring ring clasp on top of the pendant that looks very similar to one of the links of this chain, so that you don't see it unless you look very closely.

I have decided that I don't particularly care for wrapping briolettes. Maybe it's an acquired taste??   :-)

Ellen

P.S. Lynette and Jess, when I first posted this, it went into the new FSOJ, so I've moved it. I don't know how to also move your comments! Sooo, I'll acknowledge them here -- THANKS! And to answer your question, Lynette, the dark brios are sodalite.  :-)

Week 52 - Multi-Media Art Necklace - Randi/Dax58

Words to Live By
This is a necklace I made for a mixed-media contest on Jatayu. The contest results were announced on 9/15 (and I received an honorable mention!), so now I can post it! I think it's a fitting piece to post for my final 05-06 FSOJ... 06-07 here I come!

The components are made of resin coated parchment paper and etched copper accents - these are each highlighted with silver tube rivets. They are strung on a leather cord with handmade (African) copper beads, and finished with a simple "S" hook. I've made extra parchment tags for mix-n-match earrings, which are quite cool!

Comments are always welcome... check out My Jewelry Blog for more on this piece and my other FSOJ projects, and check out My Website for more of my jewelry. Thanks, Randi

Fall Foliage Bonsai - Dianne/Faeriiidust

Autumn comes, leaves turn
Four Seasons draw to a close
Time to Celebrate!

So here we are at the end of the Four Seasons of Jewellery 2005-2006. 

Here in the Great White North, the leaves are turning. The riotous colours typical of fall aren't quite at their full peak yet. In some ways the way the colours develop reminds me of how similar it is to The Blush in the Spring.

Anyways, I wanted to try the same ring as last week, only make the ring a little taller. In honour of the season's change, I made the leaves multi-coloured.  More photos and commentary in my diary.

10 point hair star by Jackie

I made this as a commission for a young lady who was going to a ball and wanted to dress as Christine from Phantom of the Opera. She insisted on a 10 point star. I worked out a diagram and used sterling silver with Swarovski bicones and an octagon. I thought this was appropriate for the last posting of the year. Lara and I think you are all stars!

~Jackie

We're Done!!!!

Wow!  This season sure flew by!  I really enjoyed participating along with the rest of y'all; there were some fabulous pieces, and I feel like I learned and stretched my abilities.  I loved getting the comments and suggestions, and want to thank everyone who commented on my pieces.  I tried to stick to the theme (and did, all but one 1 week), because I felt that the themes pushed me to make new things I never would have otherwise, plus the research for some of them, like out of Africa, was fabulous fun.  Some of the themes made me really think, and stumped me sometimes..moo...lol!   And I'm sorry to say I was perpetually late : (  but my new goal is to be on time more next season.  Now that I fixed my lighting situation for my photos I have no more excuses anyway. 

Way back when in June I said that I was going to work on my pendants to get better since they had intimidated me for so long.  I veered from that path a few times along the way, but I'm back where I started for the last week of the season.   This pendant is a rhodonite cab that I worked and formed an sterling chandelier earring finding so that it would curve to match.  I wrapped it and wired the finding to the frame, then, once I was done swirling and curling all those little wire ends, I added a couple more goodies-a tiny thai silver rosebud and leaf, and a couple of Isreal cut rhodolite garnets and rose quarts beads.  And since I can't seem to make a pendant without using my pliers (I know, I know, bad Mary, use your fingers to curl the wire) I needed to file and buff some of the marks off with my dremel.  I thing out of all the pendants I have made, this one is the one I have been happiest with.  And it's something a little different from the norm to boot.  As always, comments welcome and appreciated!

Mary V

Green bookmark by Jackie

Just for fun, I thought I would put up one of the many bookmarks I make with wire and beads. I suppose you could call this a copy cat, although I do try to make them all different.

~Jackie