Hello Again...and my jewelry course...

I've been doing a lot of learning over 2014 and now a jewelry course.  In the spring of 2014, I took a daytime adult class and learned to cut cabochons, great fun!  My husband and I then joined a rock club, https://www.facebook.com/Glendora-Gems-Lapidary-and-Jewelry-Club-Workshop-187430211309854/timeline/ , that he can attend after work, and together we both make cabochons.  My husband has gone on to make shperes and Zuni bears too. It is now even more fulfilling to make jewelry using the cabs that we cut ourselves.  By the way, it is good together time for us too.

I am now into week 4 of a jewelry making course. I always wanted to take a course and not just a 3 hour workshop, which I have taken a couple of those.  Our teacher, Bon, is well known and I had heard of him before too. I like the fact that we have projects that we must first do in the course that is designed to build on our skills and he closely oversees our work and answers our question. Also, what a great bunch of people in class.  So here is some pics of the projects that I made so far:

Made with 16 gauge wire.  Twisting, lots of annealing and cleaning after every pickling
fusing, hammering and more twisting and using the drawplate and forming.









Project #2 , wire twisted and straight was wrapped around and 8 gauge ss wire core

Please don't mind the gaps, having trouble making these photos line up...keep
a scrolling....

 

Another project with twisted wire wrapped around a core wire.. Annealing in picture 3.

This is probably my favorite, this and project #1. Here, twisting half round wire, 12 gauge,
if I remember right and 18 gauge wire. Once again, fused and hammered and filed ends to shape.

I must say I'm thoroughly enjoying this class and all the new people I have met, charmed...and
thanks for dropping on by here.~~~Linda

Inner Earth Jewelry~First You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=Oc0mypMjr5o&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZbA4rQ8S3C8%26feature%3Dshare

This is my first You Tube slide show.  Made this Dec. 30, on a rainy California day, posted to Facebook and wanted to share here.  Just a brief recap from 2014...hoping to blog more in 2015 about new adventures in jewelry making, i.e., making my own cabs for my jewelry, more on that later...

Merry Christmas

 

15 Days away

 

 

Feeling like most, a little rushed and a little stressed.  Completed my online shopping yesterday and now to get some gifts wrapped and boxed in the next couple of days to reach New York, and yes more shopping to do for loved ones here at home...and of course, IEJ for some gifts too, (hints) a bracelet to match a necklace and a necklace to match some  earrings. 

Find these one-of-a-kind pieces now, and more, in our shop at www.innerearthjewelry.etsy.com 

 

What is on your Christmas wish list?



Upcoming Events~~

Thought I would share our newsletter here; love getting out to set up our jewelry booth and seeing and talking to friends, customers and family.  Check out our newsletter for more info, first event this Friday, Sept. 12th,...stop by and say Hello!

https://madmimi.com/s/f5e145

Facebook Fun Contest

I'm having a contest over on my Facebook Page www.facebook.com/innerearthjewelry , win a pair of sterling IEJ earrings .  It has been a few hours now and no guesses yet...really didn't know if this would be hard or easy.  I've had a couple of contest involving novels and those were answered lickety slipt.  It's all for fun and facebook friend appreciation.  So, go check out my page to submit your answer and give it your best shot... 
 

Tell us where in the world is this...(comment on our Facebook page)

...and win these IEJ sterling hoops.

New Year and a Vacation

Wow, we're in March already, that was so fast. 

It seems like just yesterday I left for our casa in San Felipe.  On January 20 I headed South to go stay at our Casa while some work was being completed, an extension on the husband's garage, hopefully there will be room for a work bench for me...and after 6 weeks, hope I still remember how to make jewelry.

While in San Felipe, we decided to have an archway built onto the gate, I always wanted to do that.  I decided that I wanted some kind of a design.  I decided on a cactus and as I was drawing it, I decided that it should be the total length of the gate.  I was so pleased with the way it turned out, the young man who welded it did an excellent job.  This is a video/slide show of some of the work and my first Vimeo video.  I was just having fun with this...not too professional, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.


http://vimeo.com/88318095

DECEMBER SALE

Now is the time for sales as Christmas shopping is in full swing and we are having our sale thru the end of December and we will be adding more listings along the way. Use coupon code GIFTS20 at checkout for 20% off your order, and the coupon code is essential to get the discount.  I did check the Etsy forum and did find out that the codes are not case sensitive. Also, checking into having the discounts already applied to listing with certain apps.  Any Etsians do their sales this way? 

 

The handmade Christmas stocking I purchased for my first
grandchild's first Christmas from www.Giftsthatlast.etsy.com .

Almost Free E-Book

Downloaded my first E-Book, DOMING SILVER BEADS, all 96 pages.  I found this on Facebook at
Ganoskin.  This E-Book is offered free by the family of the late author, Nancy M.
Howland.  Ganoskin charges $5 for 'bandwidth costs in distributing and hosting the book'.  I thought that was a good deal.

... of course I was calculating ink, plus paper ... I had gone to B & N and Amazon, Amazon
had a used one for $50 plus $3.99 shipping.  The second printing of this book, by the way
was sold out long ago. 

To work to put my book together before the pages get messed up ... the folder I had
but I would not have know that had I not been cleaning up my studio for the past
couple of days and found after I had printed this too, fits much better than the 3 inch
binder I had laying around and was going to use.

My E-Book looks so pretty, I keep flipping thru the pages, and hey, I can add pages of notes or
pictures of work later if I want to.  I must admit though, that in my heart, just a tiny bit, I'd like the book. I
just decided to google it and low and behold, the free PDF is right there on top of page at psi-design.com.
It's okay, I paid only $5 for mine but thought I would pass this on ... as for the book,
$53 was the lowest price and more than $100 is what I found for the used book.

The Table of Contents is 3 1/2 pages long with lots of good
stuff listed, can't wait to sit down with my binder, er, my pretty
Red E-Book.  So do any of you regularly download E-Books?
How do you store yours or do you prefer the book?

Another Cuff Bracelet

I do like to work with copper, though, for me, it seems to be harder to work with than sterling silver.  I love its earthy, organic look and it is also less expensive, so, I often use it for first timer projects, before going into sterling, making notes of sizes, gauges, forming. I am not a teacher.  I'm know there are many ways to do this bracelet and likely easier ways too.  This is just to share my learning experience as I am always searching the web for how to s.  Any questions, suggestions or tips are always welcome.

Used one piece of 13 gauge wire approx. 13".  I wanted to be 6" when flat. Bent ends around a 7mm or 8mm mandrel. One solder
join in the middle of bracelet, formed with mallet around bracelet mandrel.

These are not the wires I ended up using.  Changed from 13 gauge to 15 gauge and these were two 3" pieces.                                                        

Bent here and solder together below.

Solder to bracelet. Cleaned up and prongs bent, trimmed and smoothed.

How to put on a Silver Cuff Bracelet ~~FYI: wanted to share this video I found. Good info to know if you are buying or selling jewelry.

Making an 18ct gold two-tone wedding ring sit with the engagement ring -...

Found this on the internet and wanted to share.  I've learned a lot of my jewelry making from videos as well as books.  I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I do.

 

 

Just Write

Ken Bainbridge is my husband's second cousin, I hope I got that right.  Ken keeps a meticulous journal of all his travels and takes wonderful pictures.  I've seen him in action,  a small spiral notepad in his top shirt pocket, constantly taking notes, mile markers, land marks, at what time of day, weather, etc.  Later, each evening, the notes are used for his journal entries.  What disciple, or more like, what love of writing. I was so glad to hear of his website so that his journals and pictures would not be lost in a drawer somewhere.  Here is his link for all to enjoy....http://kenspastimes.co.uk/

Playing with Fire

Have so enjoyed soldering and  making earrings, rings and my own pendants.  I have had bezel wire well over a year before attempting metalsmithing beyond closing circles, as shown in my previous post,  and like a pyromaniac, I can't stop, it is so much fun...for more pics of my work check us out on our facebook page and "like" us if you like at http://www.facebook.com/innerearthjewelry . 

Tiger's Eye ring will be for myself as I do need to have my own jewelry to wear, right.
Both the turquoise and moonstone cabochons were going to be pendants, but decided
to make a moonstone ring instead, decisions, decisions.

This round turquoise was made into a pendant and almost finished as we type, will be
posting necklace on FB page soon, and not the same cab as in last picture.

The Next Step...


First getting back to blogging on a regular basis....and next step... what seems to be a natural progression for alot of handmade jewelers, from beading, to wire wrapping, making ear wires, headpins, bead caps, jump rings, pmc, sawing to soldering...my first two rings, made convientantly, in my size...I've bought books and read how to's and had bezel wire for ever...so, what I've learned...any suggestions, tips, critiques from seasoned or first time metalsmiths...would love to hear....

Ring #1on left:  thought round stone would be easier, 20mm.  Thought I'd go all out and
stamp on the bezel, says: enjoy life.  My thoughts and mis-steps, bezel too tall, is hard to burnish, now I
read fine silver is softer and easier to push.  Also,  this is what a beautiful blue Sodalite
stone looks like after it gets over heated.  I kept working on the bezel and knocked one
side of the band undone, so I re-soldered the bottom and ruined the stone.  Ring #2: Milk
Quartz, this time I cut the bezel down, I think that was better but the band is not straight.
Lots to learn, filing seams, bezel sizing, sizing the ring bands and placement,...but, oh
what fun!!!!...anyway, I got myself a couple of rings!

Cuff Bracelet Fever

Cuff Bracelet Fever:  constant thoughts of cuffs with quotes, names, birthstones and names, wire wrapped with stones, silver beads, dangling stones,...for days....

Cuff Bracelet

My first cuff bracelet inspired by San Felipe, where they like to say, "No Bad Days".  I'm going to start a Baja Jewelry Collection, so much inspiration there.  And not just the surroundings but, how you feel when you are there...relaxed...a slower pace...one with the desert and ocean...nothing fancy...just natural and earthy...





Copper Cuff Bracelet



"No Bad Days" Copper Cuff Bracelet

"



Dog day afternoon on beach at Pete's Camp, San Felipe, Baja



Business Card Etiquette

 Etiquette, we all want to know the proper etiquette and manners, and apparently, even when handing out business cards.  Here is an bit of information I came across, go to link, Jewelry Business Card, and just scroll down the page for the video info.  I know that I will never hand out or accept a business card without this bit of information crossing my mind as I do so...enjoy!..your thoughts...   Jewelry Business Cards

A thing or two...

I'm back!...first here are the earrings that Worn Once had chosen from My Etsy shop...

Rose Water Earrings


Two....I found the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Newsletter, dated July 19, 2011, to have a very interesting and informative article that I enjoyed reading and thought any of you who go to craft shows might enjoy too....
Boost Your Sales With
Effective Signs by Bruce Baker

Learn to effectively communicate your brand, your products and your prices through signage.

Courtesy of the Crafts Report

 sorry, can't find a link but I know you're computer savvy enough to find it, good read...

Winner

The winner is....Worn Once...alot of fun... and the winner is in the United Kingdom...thank you to all who participated!!

GIVEAWAY~Facebook Fans

Anything goes as far as necklaces are concerned.  One minute chockers are hot, the next it's long necklaces and now layering or multi-strand are in demand...gold is hot and silver is always in...What is grabbing your eye, what are you reaching for in the morning to accessorize your outfit?  You can comment here for an entry and on my fb page for an additional entry.  Check out Inner Earth Jewelry  FB page for more info.  Giveaway on till July 4th and on July 5th will draw a name for your choice of any earrings availabe at that time in My Etsy shop...



Some of the Lovelies available at present time.

 By the way,  after this giveaway I will be having a giveaway with some wonderful stash that I have picked up along the way from many a Gem Show...stay tuned...