spots, silver and stars

I haven't blogged in ages - it's been a bit tricky getting on the internet in our house because The Tone is on the brink of becoming a world-famous rock star (I hope) so he's been occupying it rather a lot. Still, I've sneaked a slot, so here's a little update.

I got a bead roller, which is really fab (actually, I should have put a picture up - I will do next time). You use it with Fimo or any oven-bakeable modelling clay and it makes regular-sized and shaped beads. I've been having modelling clay fun, making beads like the spotty ones in this bracelet:

And you'll be on tenterhooks waiting to see my latest silversmithing efforts, I know. Well, here's the ring. I'm not sure whether it looks much different from the last time, but in silversmithingland that's several hours' work.

And, excitement knows no bounds, a new project! This is a brooch (or it will be) made in copper with a silver bezel and pin, and a lapis lazuli stone set in it. I've slightly cheated for this picture, as I haven't set the stone yet but you get the idea. And obviously that nasty muck'll all be removed and it'll be fabulousy shiny when it's done. There's only one week left, though it's the Easter holidays at the minute. My last session will be the 17th April and that should be finished then. I think I have to leave it to be assessed but I can have it back in May.

stretchiness

The latest update on my ring: I'm now polishing it up.

And some examples of the things I've done lately:

But the most exciting thing is that I got some elastic and I can make stretchy bracelets!

I got Elasticity (by Beadalon) which is designed for beading. It's extremely strong and it's plastic, really, not elastic, so it stretches but it won't 'stretch out' (i.e. over-stretch, I think). That's what they claim, anyway. It's also extremely expensive, but worth it if it's stronger, and it is really smooth.

But I initially found it very difficult to use - any knot I tried, including the one they recommend (a surgeon's knot), unravelled itself. The elastic just seemed to want to be straight. So I was on the verge of taking it back but luckily Tony saved the day and worked out a way of doing it. He did a knot with the two ends together, pulled that really tight and then did another two normal half grannies, pulling them both really tight after each one. That held it.

So the secret to tying Beadalon Elasticity so it stays tied is to use two different types of knot and pull it really bloody tight!

chips and chunks

I recently got some semi-precious chips and things:

(clockwise from top left: rose quartz, fancy jasper, mother of pearl, malachite, blue lace agate, rhodonite)

I made this wrap bracelet using the malachite:

And I was given a necklace to take to bits by a colleague. In return I made this necklace with some of the pieces , some mother of pearl chips and white square 4mm beads:

the return of me

I haven't posted anything in ages, mostly because it was Christmas, so I just made things and then gave them to people with no intervening time for photographing them and posting the photos. Then I spent about three weeks doing nothing but write essays for university. But I've been busily making stuff since then, so here's a small selection:

Some rather funky chunky necklaces

Some dangly earrings

And some 2-strand bracelets

my silver ring again

Here's my ring again. Now you might think it looks worse now than it did last time, and you'd technically be right. But it's going to be a zigzag, and those notches will eventually join up. It may take several weeks, but I'll get there.

safety pin brooch

And finally another safety pin brooch, in my favourite colour.

wrap bracelets, rings and random necklaces

This style of wrap bracelet has proved very popular, and although it's really time-consuming, it's not hard to make. I've switched suppliers for the memory wire and now I get an extra loop, but it's a lighter gauge.


I've made a couple of rings in the same style - the person who bought this one asked for a matching bracelet to go with it.


I made another floating necklace. This one's purple with garnets, although the photo doesn't do the colours justice (they never do with gemstones).


And this one's another simple spaced necklace, just grey and black. Striking, but easy to wear.

spaced necklaces

These three necklaces are all made the same way - tigertail threaded with glass beads, spaced with crimps.

twisty wire bracelets

I made these wire bracelets from three strands of black copper wire, threaded with mixed beads of three different shades and twisted together.

some phone charms

I haven't posted in a while because I've been so ridiculously busy. But that certainly doesn't mean I haven't been making stuff - here are some phone charms I did to start you off: