Mechanical Motion

This is a pendant that I made during my class last Saturday in-between demos and helping the students out.  There were some quiet moments when everyone was happily working, so I dabbled with a few things I have been working on.  I had ordered the Tall Tag pendants from Vintaj as my gift from the last order and I was excited to punch holes in them and attach bits of metal and clay to form long pendants.  

The long nuts and bolt screws from Objects and Elements are so very versatile and are perfect for making cold connections to join materials that might not otherwise be riveted or hammered (like fired clay).  They can be screwed together, the bolts cut down and filed, and even carefully hammered to flare out the cut end of the bolt to keep the nut in place.  Really fun stuff!

Some of these clay parts are new.  Little bits of clay that I pressed into molds that I made of model train wheels and other little bits.  I have a few more pendants like this, but this one is going away tomorrow on a special journey to a secret place!  I hope to make more someday soon.

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Oval Links, Sensitive Skin, and Awesome Friends

I'm feeling rambly tonight, so here's what I have going on... I have started to photograph and list in the Etsy shop some of the stock that I have that sold so well at the Bead & Button show, like these oval links.  They are very versatile accents that work well with the oval toggles and the larger pendants, which I made in several different colorways.  I loved making these and am so glad there was a good response, and I can't wait to make more once I finish this current pile of orders.

 Today I finally went to a dermatologist for the few different skin issues I have been having lately.  I've had itchy red eyes on and off for about a month which is likely allergy related, but I don't know if it's seasonal or environmental.  I have also had an issue with my hands itching and cracking, but that is most assuredly because of the clay and glazes.  She gave me a bunch of sample creams for both problems and seemed confident they would help.  I hope so!  I have always had eczema and skin problems since I was a child, and the dermatologists were never able to help back then, so I was hesitant to go to one (and pay out of pocket) as an adult.  I am hopeful this will help, particularly with my hands, because it makes it very hard to work in clay with cracked and painful hands!

 After the doctor and a yummy salad lunch, I drove out to hang out with my friends.  There were more there than I even expected and we had a great time by the poolside and at dinner.  I needed some good laughs and I got them!  hehe. My boy is away at summer camp as a guardian for his Boy Scout troop, but I got to talk to him for a few minutes on the phone on the drive home from seeing friends. He is out in the middle of nowhere with no phone reception, and I was in a traffic jam, so the connection didn't last long, but it was good to hear his voice for a minute or two.  I'm settling in for a scary movie and beadmaking tonight.  *yawn* let's see if I can make it through...

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Owl Reshoot and Pondering Teaching

I finally got the Owl and the Oak necklace back into the studio, where I could take a better picture of it than the one I did at the show, so I figured I would post it here.  I really like this piece, but I am not sure what I am going to do with it now.  I sold all the kits (yay!) and I don't think I will order the glass beads I would need to kit it up again.  It was pretty intense!  Since I don't want to kit it, I probably won't try to offer it as a class. I might be able to submit it to a magazine as a project now, which would be great because I have the instructions written.  Well, it is something to ponder.  One thing is for certain... next time I design a class project, I will make it simpler, supply wise. And somehow more complex, technique wise. It is a pretty repetitive process, so it wasn't much of a challenge to teach (plus my students were super skilled!).  My other class was much more interesting for me to teach, probably because I am still learning the other processes myself, and I have taught about a million people to do wire wraps like we did in this Owl class.  Things to ponder as I think about this whole teaching business... I am still trying to find the place for it in my life and career.

 

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Off to Play and Extra Links

My classes over the last two days were very successful and I had a great time!  I got some good and much needed rest last night and have a huge mountain of things that need my attention, but today I just want to ignore them and run away to play.  Which is pretty much what I am going to do...

But first, I will give you this week's Extra Links

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Always on the hunt for unique components, Andrew spotlights "pinch bail components" from Shoutrinse on Etsy!

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off a summery necklace design with components courtesy of Artbeads.com 

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
review of a great book: Candie Cooper's Metalworking 101 for Beaders! Don't miss this! 

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei's studio is in total disarray. Check out some pics and if you have suggestions, she would totally be appreciative! 

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie shows her Steampunk Sampler class made of mixed metals, industrial porcelain, and cold connections 

Cindy Gimbrone
Cindy rewinds on wire.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Cherry wood bezels are the stars in this new pendant collection. 

Beading Arts
Cyndi has a copy of "Metalworking 101 for Beaders" to give away! 

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
thoughts about creating multiple streams of income as a jewelry artist 

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene finds findings worth finding! 

About.com Jewelry Making
Thinking of selling on-line but worried about the cost? Tammy has discovered three freebie sites for selling your jewelr, crafts, and vintage items. 

A Bead A Day
Let's have a Tiki party! Lisa found Tiki beads at Big Lots for $1.00 and is looking for ideas!    

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Song Lore Saturday: Lovecats

So one of my students in yesterday's class had asked me a few weeks before class if I might be able to offer it with a cat instead of an owl.  She had purchased some cat beads from me years ago...beads that I no longer make.  The owl is similar in shape to some of my old cat beads, in fact, the older beads inspired the owl shape.  When I make them, my hands remember the motions I used to make with the cat forms...particularly the pointy ears.  So I figured a new and revised version was indeed possible, and clearly it was desired.  And as I made this batch of new cat pendants, the bouncy song The Lovecats by the Cure played in my head. I'm really not sure what this song is about.  It sounds kind of dark and I read some things about it being based on some novel, but I don't know.  It wouldn't surprise me if a Cure song was dark and emo, but it sounds so happy and bouncy, and it reminds me of happy fun times in high school, so it makes me smile when I hear it.

 "We move like cagey tigers. We couldn't get closer than this
The way we walk, the way we talk, the way we stalk, the way we kiss
We slip through the streets while everyone sleeps
Getting bigger and sleeker and wider and brighter
We bite and scratch and scream all night

Let's go and throw
All the songs we know...

Into the sea. You and me
All these years and no one heard
I'll show you in spring, it's a treacherous thing

'We missed you,' hissed the lovecats"

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

The Owl and the Oak

A wise old owl lived in an oak
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?

Here are two pretty poor pictures of the class I am teaching today for the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild.  It's full of a million (ok, 60) wire wrapped glass dangles which we will be busily making today in this 6 hour class.  I loved picking out all the glass beads in the brown and ivory and green tones to go with the owl.  I was also very excited to have created the Lumber links and toggle for this piece.  I also created another new pendant design for this, in response to one of my students asking if I could do a kitty for the pendant instead.  They are mighty adorable, I must admit.  But you will have to wait until tomorrow to see them!  I plan to take pictures of my class and some better shots of this necklace to show you too.  Time to get wire wrapping!

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Hands of Time Necklace

 This is a piece I made in my booth at Bead & Button this year while working on my Steampunk Sampler.  It is a very long pendant, which I added to a doubled chain with a few pewter glazed accent beads.  The center part was an extra piece I had from the Sampler, and I had already done a similar long spinner hand drop, so this is a variation.  I used a larger hole and eyelet for this pendant, which was a little tricky because I didn't have quite the right tools, but I got it done.

 The bail at the top is really exciting but was kind of tricky, so it is not a good candidate for a class.  It took a while to get the long rectangular pendant bent just right around the Time Wheel, and then it was tricky to get the little bolt in from behind to fasten it all together.  When I finally got the nut screwed on, I had to do some fancy maneuvering of my flat nose pliers into the bail to act as a little bench block so I could hammer the end of the bolt flat to flare it out.  A worthwhile endeavor, but maybe not something I want to do again.  The little spinner still moves, but it doesn't freely spin around.  I'm ok with that.

 Yeah, I am really thrilled with these pieces!  I been wanting to do some of these techniques for a while, and it is amazing what adding just a few very basic metalsmithing techniques to beadwork can do!  I wonder if people would be interested in me making a line of components based on these things... part ceramic, part metal.  What do you think?

I have this necklace listed over in the Etsy Galleria.

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Rings and Things Product Playtime: Steampunk Sampler

This Saturday, I am teaching a class for the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild.  The Steampunk Sampler is full of brass and mixed metal and gear and steamy themed porcelain.  I really wanted to create a class that used some very basic metalsmithing techniques without a lot of tools.  Hammering, drilling, coiling, jump ring work, mostly. And I have been wanting to experiment with miniature nuts and bolts, rivets, and eyelets, so I experimented with those and this sampler uses all three. I am really excited about the possibilities this opens up in my work and I can't wait to share these techniques with my bead guild friends this weekend!

I made this piece mainly in part from selection of raw brass gears and beads* I got a month or so ago from the fabulous folks at Rings and Things.  The raw brass gears and sprockets (which also come in copper!) were the main inspiration, because they are so versatile and could be drilled and riveted easily. The large holed brass spacer beads worked really well with the bolts, rivets, and eyelets, too.  I made use of the gears and game spinners from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology collection as well, which is also conveniently available through Rings and Things.  I just got my shipment of supplies from them this morning!

I took these pictures in the hotel room at Bead & Button, on the striped etched glass office desk.  They are kind of neat!  I made another really neat necklace at the show too, with the extra parts and some early experimenting for the class idea.  Maybe I'll show that one tomorrow.
 *FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program
 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Woodland Dragonfly Bracelet in Stringing Magazine

 I've been buzzing around getting my stuff glazed for my classes this weekend.  I'll show you them soon!  Needless to say, I waited a bit too long and now it is crunch time.  Story of my life lately.  Anyway, I wanted to post the last of the projects that I have in the new issue of Stringing.  It's a bracelet using one of the small Dragonfly Rising links, which I just added to the Earthenwood website.  I used some assorted wood and stone beads with it, accented with some Tierracast pewter links and a Vintaj brass clasp.

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

The Battle of the Back Yard

 This is another bracelet I designed that is in the current issue of Stringing Magazine.  It's full of my natural colored Terra Trinkets and Tierracast pewter charms and Vintaj brass rings with a single filigree bead and a Green Girl clasp... some of my favorite things!  I wanted this to resemble a seashore woodland pond, if that makes any sense.  Kind of like the woody path that my brother and I walked along when we were in the Bahamas.  It's got shells and birds and leaves and lillypads all mixed up together!  It's a feast of natural elements!

Alas, in reality, nature is mocking me.  This happens every year at this time... I get absorbed for about 3 weeks for Bead & Button, barely leaving the studio while getting ready, and then being at the show for 5 days, and then a week recovering... and when I go outside, the weeds and overgrowth has taken over.  It is overwhelming again and too hot for me to care anymore.  So I surrender, Back Yard, for another year! *sigh* Maybe my attention is best spent inside on cleaning up and a new home improvement project.

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Heart Home and Extra Links

A Bead A Day
What do you think about solar system jewelry? Lisa found a ceramic bead strand that looks like it could turn that solar system science project into jewelry!

About.com Jewelry Making
If you are selling your jewelry on-line or thinking about it, then you'll find some of these resources very helpful. 

Art Bead Scene
The June Monthly Challenge is a painting by Toulouse-Lautrec. 

Beading Arts
Do you like Chinese food? Do you like jewelry...?

Carmi's Art/Life World
A button get's glammed up with tear drop rhinestones.

Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva
Cindy touts one of her favorite colors in this week's rewind.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie explores building materials as texture and symbolism in a new set of pendants inspired by a fortress theme

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei got together for a fun beady date with Kerry Bogert, and together they created a necklace!

missficklemedia.com
Come by and visit for a chance to win free Patina-ted Metal Components!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean is fascinated by the beautiful necklace which Jennifer Dangerfield created and reposts her analysis of what makes it so appealing! All jewelry afficionados really must see this lovely piece!

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her necklace design that won second place in the Metal Clay category of Bead Dreams 2010.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
On the heels of his trip to Milwaukee for the "Bead & Button" Super Show, Andrew documents and shares his favorite highlights from the experience.  

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Song Lore Saturday: Neon

"When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise"

These colorful charms came out of a clay playtime session using some scrap plastic sheets with a bunch of holes in them. I pressed them into the clay and YAY instant polkadots!  When the clay was wet, they looked just like Legos or toy building blocks. I wanted to make them colorful, but still sort of industrial, so I glazed them with the dark metallic glaze, wiped it off, and colored in some of the dots so they looked like neon lights in the darkness, or lights on a marquee, or traffic lights. They don't really look like Legos to me anymore, but now they remind me of Light Brite, which is a toy I had and loved as a kid. As soon as they came out of the kiln, I started singing Neon by John Mayer.

"She comes and goes and comes and goes like no one can
She comes and goes and no one knows she's slipping through my hands
She's always buzzing just like neon, neon"

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Love's Beauty in Stringing Magazine

I have been relaxing a bit and getting reorganized for the past few days. But I wanted to check in and show the other full project I wrote for the new issue of Stringing (Summer 2010).  It is called Love's Beauty.  It uses just a couple of my acorn charms and an unusual spotted nest bead (that I should probably make more of, eh?) along with some beautiful stone and crystal beads and the distinctive pewter and shibiuchi beads, clasp and pendants from Green Girl.  I really love the colors in this piece and look forward to getting it back one day so I can wear it!

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Woodland Dragonfly in Stringing Magazine

 Still hanging in here, even if its only by a few threads.  How about some shameless self promotion today?

The new issue of Stringing magazine is out!  I have several projects in this one and am included in an editor's pick. One of the projects I wrote is the one above, Woodland Dragonfly.  I have the dragonfly pendants available on my website (if you want more than one or other colors) and on Etsy (ready to ship) and I also have a couple of kits available on Etsy.

I'll show you the other projects in the next few days.  Go pick it up, it is a gorgeous issue of Stringing!

 

Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Ten Days of Giveaways: Winners!

 I am very glad to be home from Bead & Button.  It was a very hard show this time.  Many things went wrong at the show and the drive back was very scary.  I hit a deer and likely totalled my dad's car, but we are ok.  I am slowly trying to get back on schedule, but it will take a while.  I have some orders and obligations, but not too much to do that is urgent for a while, so I am going to take it easy for a bit.

I promised to select the winners of the Ten Days of Giveaways today, so I will do that here. Thank you all for your comments!  I got over 400 comments all together, which is awesome!  If I list your name as one of the winners, please email me at earthenwood at gmail dot com with your address within the next week to receive your prize:

Day 1, Raku and Mixed Metals: 

Jill at Liv'nGood Jewelry

(oh poop, I just accidentally deleted 23 comments on the first blog.  Sorry if you don't see yours there!)

Day 2, House and Copper Mix

Barbara Hopkins

Day 3, Garden and Glass Beads

Heather from aquariart-chocoholic.blogspot.com

Day 4, Message Sticks

Greer

Day 5, Steampunk and Brass Gears

HeyJude03

Day 6,  Newsprint and Skulls

Misa

Day 7, Buttons Old and New

Sarah Alford

Day 8, Face Stones and Glue-Ables

Amanda

Day 9, Goddesses and Squiggles

Katina

Day 10, Red Hot Components

Christine's Beadworks

 Congrats, everyone!!!

 

Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Song Lore Saturday: Red Brick Dream

Ok, I am kind of cheating today on the Song Lore post, but it's Bead & Button Show time, and I have been hella busy.  I was listening to older XTC as I was making these pieces and the imagery fits the look I was going for, so we'll call it an inspiration.  The toggles in particular remind me of today's song, "Red Brick Dream" which is full of railroad, machinery, and bricklaying imagery. I can almost hear the trains whistle and the machines whirring and smell the coal burning. I can always count on Andy Partridge for a healthy shot of inspiration:

"Red brick dream
Windows scream
As the rusting North Star shines above
And drops its iron beams
Crashing down upon the rooves of Swindon Town

I heard the engine's dying breath
Castles and kings all starved to death
I dropped the coronation cup
Sshh, please don't wake them up from
Red brick dream

Red brick dream
Buttons gleam
By the light of the furnace pouring
Molten memories
Splashing down upon the rooves of Swindon Town

The men of muscle piston rods
Who forged the horses of the gods
They made the town a set of chains
And sleeping it remains in
Red brick dream"

 Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Ten Days of Giveaways: Day Ten: Red Hot Components

Well, it's the last day of the Ten Days of Giveaways!  Today I have some odds and ends of new work to give away.  I have fallen in love with this red glaze, especially when mixed with the black or pewter with occasional bits of white bare clay.  I am hoping this red will be very hot at Bead & Button this year.  We shall see!

I have some other hot red beads to giveaway today too!  These *glass skulls, hearts, hot peppers, and sparkly beads are from Rings and Things!  I think they are fun and really modern and hip.  And they go so well with my new favorite red glaze, it's a perfect match!

 To win today's prize, leave a comment on the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles blog with an answer to the following question:

Do you have any hot crafty plans for this summer?

One winner will be chosen at random from all the comments. Comments are screened and will be posted June 15th.  All winners will be chosen and posted to the blog on June 15th, so be sure to check back then. You must respond to the June 15th winner post and follow the directions to claim your prize within one week of the posting.  After a week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.  Good luck and thanks for commenting!

 

 *FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program

  Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.

Ten Days of Giveaways: Day Nine: Goddesses and Squiggles

 Welcome to day eight of the Ten Days of Giveaways!  Today I have a selection of goddess charms and pendants!  I am writing this earlier in the week, but when this posts I will be setting up for Bead & Button and getting ready to see lots of awesome people, some of whom I only see one time a year at the show.  Today's prize is dedicated to all of those bead goddesses!  It's not all women... I look forward to seeing my bead guys too...  I love getting to chat face to face with people at the show that I have admired for years.

Anyway, today's giveaway is the collection of goddess pendants above and the sterling silver squiggle links below.  I bought them to make kits for a project that appeared in a magazine, but they were discontinued so I had to switch to something else.  I had this little stash left over, and I really love them, but can't use them anymore.  They remind me of little branches, which I think would look great with any of the goddesses above.

.

 To win today's prize, leave a comment on the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles blog with an answer to the following question:

Who are your beady or crafty goddesses (or gods, lol)?  Who's work do you admire the most in your craft?

One winner will be chosen at random from all the comments. Comments are screened and will be posted June 15th.  All winners will be chosen and posted to the blog on June 15th, so be sure to check back then. You must respond to the June 15th winner post and follow the directions to claim your prize within one week of the posting.  After a week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.  Good luck and thanks for commenting!

 
Melanie is an artist, blogger, writer, and ceramic beadmaker at Earthenwood Studio. Her beads and components can be found at her Etsy shop and her jewelry can be found in her Etsy Galleria. To comment on this post, visit the original post at the Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Blog.