12 Types of Handmade Jewelry

Black Onyx and White Jade Necklace, Shadow Dog Designs

There are many different types of handmade jewelry, so I thought I'd share a few of them with you here.  Maybe you'll discover something new!  These are in no particular order.

1.  STRINGING:  First of all, we have stringing.  This is basically just stringing the beads on beading wire or cord.  Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs does a great job of this.  Here is one of my favorites.  It's not so obvious here, but when you look at the whole necklace, it reminds me of our California Banded King Snake named Ringo!  Stringing is usually the first thing a jewelry designer learns to do.  Although, some people are more talented at it than others, and Catherine is certainly one of them.

Wire-wrapped Nautilus Pendant in Copper, Wagoner Wire Works

2. WIRE-WRAPPING:  Wire wrapping involves making things out of wire.  It could be as simple as connecting two beads together, putting a little accent on something, or making a bail to attach a pendant.  Then there's the advanced version, and this copper wire wrapped pendant by Wagoner Wire Works is definitely a prime example.  I can't imagine the skill and the time involved to make something like this nautilus pendant.  I also love the back lighting in this photo!

Teal and Orange Flower Earrings, Blue Morning Expressions

3.  POLYMER CLAY: This is special clay that when you bake it in the oven it turns into something like plastic.  Crafty people have all kinds of fun with this, including making miniature food, etc. Also it doesn't require a lot of equipment to be able to do it.  A talented polymer clay artist can make very intricate and beautiful designs,  Floral designs are popular, such as these teal and orange floral earrings by Blue Morning Expressions.

Picture Jasper Cuff Bracelet, Lunar Skies

Dragonfly Necklace, Rio Rheba Boutiques

 4. METALSMITHING - This is the traditional sawing, forging, soldering that most of us jewelry makers aspire to do.   Quentin of Lunar Skies certainly has it down pat.  In this bracelet we see all of those skills put to work and more.  He even cuts his own stones!  I am a big fan!  Since the jasper looks like a mountain landscape, he continued the mountain design onto the cuff itself.  The sky on the cuff has been textured and a patina added to make the mountains stand out.








5. RESIN:  Resin jewelry has become very popular lately.  It's easy to make and doesn't require a lot of equipment or special skill.  People who make this type of jewelry frequently purchase a bezel to use, although some make their own.  You can cut out a photograph, text or patterned image for a background then pour the resin on top.  This necklace by Rio Rheba Boutiques looks like she has two images, the dragonfly on top of a newspaper clipping.  If your bezel is thick enough you can add rhinestones, small flowers or other 3D objects under the resin.  It can also add color to jewelry when depressions in the metal are filled with colored resin.

Lampwork Glass Bead Earrings, Crystal Bazaar

6. LAMPWORK:  Making lampwork glass beads does not require a lot of equipment, but it does require skill.  You have to be able to put that hot glass in just the right spot to get the desired result.  At left is a pair of lampwork bead earrings by Sally of Crystal Bazaar.  The blue dots in these beads were drops of molten glass, as were the white dots underneath those.  To get them all about the same size and place them exactly where they need to be, and then to get them round and smooth, takes some talent in my opinion.

Multi Color Swirl Woven Cuff, Irish Expressions

7. WEAVING:  Weaving involves making something on a loom.  This involves two different sets of threads going perpendicular to each other, warp and weft.  When thinking of weaving, if you're like me, you think of people weaving big rugs on big wooden looms with a shuttle that goes back and forth.  That's not always the case.  When I was a child, I was taught to do seed beading.  My loom was a cardboard box with little slits in each end to hold the thread!  Most woven jewelry is made with seed beads, and you can make the most awesome, intricate designs.  Here is a colorful woven cuff by Irish Expressions.

Antique Yemeni Chain Mail Bracelet, Crafts of the Past

Reflection of Tree in Pond Pendant, Meant 2B Cherished

Enameled Leaf Pendant by Iron Mountain Jewelry

8. CHAIN MAIL - Chain mail (sometimes called chain maille) jewelry is made by attaching lots of jump rings together tightly in a pattern.  This can be fairly simple, as in a pair of earrings, or very complicated, for example if you are trying to make a ring in a certain size.  I came across this antique chain mail bracelet at Crafts of the Past.  This pattern is so tight, I'm guessing the person who made it may have pulled it through a draw plate to make it smaller and tighter.

Turquoise and Beaded Earrings by Bijoir Designs

9. FUSED GLASS: The difference between fused and lampwork is you need a kiln to make fused glass.  Compatible glass, usually in sheet form, is stacked on the shelf and then melted.  This is why it usually has a flat bottom.  Metallic looking dichroic glass is very popular with fusers, as are enamel or gold fuse on decals, like the tree on this beautiful wire wrapped pendant by Maureen of Meant 2B Cherished.











10. ENAMELING:  Enamel is actually powdered glass that is fused? onto a base layer of metal.  This is usually done with a kiln, but can also be done with a torch!  There are many different enameling techniques, most of them with French names.  My favorites are cloisonne and plique-a-jour.  I'm not sure what enamel technique this is, other than maybe what is called "painted enamel".  The round green bead is actually a lampwork bead, but the green on the leaf is the enamel.  This copper and brass pendant is made by Iron Mountain Jewelry.












11.  BEADING:  Native Americans are known for this type of jewelry.  I think often the beads are stitched onto a supporting piece of fabric or leather, but they don't have to be.  I have seen some unbelievable beaded creations at the Bead and Button show.  Here is a pair of beaded turquoise earrings by one of our newer members, Bijour Designs.

Textured Reverse of Desert Rain Pendant, Shanghai Tai

12. METAL CLAY:  A a relatively new medium on the jewelry scene, this clay is made from microscopic bits of metal mixed with an organic binder.  You can shape it like clay, then fire it in the kiln and all the organic material burns away.  Only the metal is left.  It is wonderful for putting textures in metal.  This is actually the back of a pendant by Roxanne of Shanghai Tai.  This one is fine silver, but it also comes in gold, copper, bronze and even steel!








So, I'm not saying these are the only methods, or the best methods, they are just twelve that popped into my head.  (So don't send me angry emails!)   Thank you to all the artists of the Jewelry Creators Unite in Numbers (JCUIN) guild for providing the jewelry photos!

Custom Anniversary Necklace

This was a secret, but it's not a secret anymore, so I guess I can share it.

One day I got an email from a man who was looking for copper jewelry for his wife.  Their 7th anniversary was coming up, and it is the copper anniversary.  He wanted to buy her something special and said he was impressed with some of my pieces that he saw online.  He is a westerner who lives in China, and his wife is Chinese.

So I asked him a few questions about his wife regarding her tastes in jewelry and also how sensitive her skin is, because some people are allergic to copper.  We discussed a bracelet that he liked, but then I asked him if his wife wore bracelets, and he said actually she doesn't.  She does wear a lot of earrings, so he sent me a picture of her earring rack.  Here is the picture he sent me:

Notice anything about her taste in jewelry?  Here's what I noticed:  She doesn't like things that are too big, but she doesn't like them super dainty either.  She likes things that are feminine, round and dramatic.  She also likes dangle and movement.

He decided on a necklace and earrings.  We wanted the piece to have meaning.  We decided it also needed to have some dangles and roundness to it.  We decided the focal piece would be a circle with the names of their two children on it, and two dangling crystals in the colors of their (western) birthstones.  Here is the focal piece:

I have added a blue-green patina because I thought it needed some color.

It is reversible, so if she doesn't want her children's names showing, she can turn it around the other way.

We added three dangles, for a total of seven, to represent the seven years.  There is a Chinese character on each side, fortune on her right and happiness on her left, with a floral/heart design on either side of those.

Here are the dangly earrings.  They both say "love" on them, and also have the birthstone color crystals.

The ear wires look like copper, but they are actually niobium.  It is much more hypoallergenic than copper.

In the background you can see the handmade spiral clasp.  Again, this is a repetition of the round theme carried throughout the design.

Here is the whole necklace shown with the earings.  We discussed doing copper chain, but he thought she would prefer beads, and then we also don't have to worry about an allergic reaction.

Here is what the necklace looks like if she decides to wear it in reverse.

My customer let me know that his wife liked the jewelry, and I think he was very happy with the fact that he could be involved in the design process every step of the way!

If you are interested in a custom design, you can view some of my work currently listed for at my Artfire studio, or contact me by email at shanghai_tai@yahoo.com.

A Day at the Beach!

Recently I was out on the east coast and had to drive up to New Jersey to pick up my new-to-me      

display cases.  Although this is not about my cases, I am so excited about them, I have to show you a picture anyway!  After being stranded with car problems for two days I wasn't quite ready to use them, but I had to bring a small one to my show yesterday, so here it is on the left, totally last minute and unprepared.

At my next show I will probably have all of them, and the display will be looking better than just throwing some stuff in there!  Jewelry display is sure a lot of work!

Anyway, when I picked up the cases we were only about three miles from the ocean, so we thought we really ought to see it while we were there.

I have seen the ocean in Florida, California and Hawaii, and even some more exotic locations like the Philippines, Thailand and China.  But I had never seen the ocean in the northeastern United States.  I have never seen the TV show Jersey Shore, and really have no desire to.  So I really didn't know what to expect, although I can say I didn't have high expectations.  I

boy playing on the beach

guess I pictured a beach with a bunch of trash floating around.

So I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  The Jersey Shore actually had a very beautiful beach, although it had entirely too many people for my taste.  We ate at a nice place called Charlies Ocean Grill in Longbranch out on a deck with a view of the ocean.  We went down to the beach there, then drove up to the next town to the north where there were a bunch of homes with private beaches.  I think that's where they film the show, but my husband was actually interested in seeing damage from hurricane Sandy.

So anyway, that was the inspiration for my new Day At The Beach collection, featuring handmade jewelry from the JCUIN guild.  Here are just a few of the pieces, click on the picture for more information:

Ocean Jasper  Pendant by Diane's Dangles

This gorgeous stone is Ocean Jasper and it comes from Madagascar.  I'm guessing it gets it's name from it's looks, because it looks like ocean and sand.  You can imagine an ariel view of little tide pools on a sand beach.  Diane has added a sterling bezel and chain, which, as she says, is all it needed.

Larimar and Sterling Silver Ring by Lunar Skies

I don't think I have ever actually seen Larimar in person, but I just love the color of it!  It looks like the turquoise water off a Caribbean beach.  This stone is only found in the Dominican Republic, so now I want to go there and find some of this gorgeous stone.  This larimar and sterlling silver ring is handmade by Quentin of Lunar Skies.  I was so happy when he joined the JCUIN guild, because it meant I got to put his awesome jewelry in my collections!  His studio is full of more like this one!

Funky Fish Earrings by Shanghai Tai

Now time for a little shameless self-promotion.  These are my funky fish earrings.  What day at the beach would be complete without a fish in some kind of condition?  I'm not sure what condition these fish are in, but they are unusual.  I made them by hand from sterling silver using metal clay and then gave them some unique hand forged sterling ear wires.

Beach Pelican Fused Glass Pendant by M2BC

Here is a beautiful miniature work of art by M2BC, which stands for Meant To Be Cherished.  And someone will certainly cherish this pendant that features a pelican on a post in front of a pebble-y beach, white waves, blue sky and pink clouds!  Fused glass is always a little bit of a gamble, but this one turned out beautifully!

Stacked Stone Cairn Pendant by Jan E O Jewelry

I like this pendant because it is so unusual.  It is stacked beach stones.  I did not know what a "cairn" was, so I looked it up.  Turns out it's Gaelic for a "stack of stones".  Who knew?  Well, maybe you did.  These stones come from the Pacific northwest where the artist picks them up on the beach.  Sounds like a good idea, since I never find any sea glass!  She has put copper discs in between that are made from recycled copper.

Mother of Pearl Necklace by Shadow Dog Design

Last, but not least, what visit to the beach would be complete without some shells?  Here is a very pretty mother of pearl necklace by Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I especially like the photography and how she staged the necklace in a heart shape.  With this necklace, even if you're not at the beach, you can take a little of the beach with you!








Well, I hope you enjoyed this little virtual jewelry trip.  When was the last time you went to the beach?

Hidden Treasures Redux

Websters defines "redux" as "brought back".  It originates from the Latin word "reducere", meaning "lead back".  So I think the name is appropriate here.  A while back it I did a Hidden Treasures collection and blog post.  The pieces chosen were a hit, so much so that you can no longer see the collection on Artfire because too many of the pieces sold.  So I hope that will be the case for this sequel.

So, without further ado, let me lead you back through the Jewelry Creators Unite In Numbers (JCUIN) guild to find some new Hidden Treasures:  (Click on the pictures for more info on each item.)

Sun Earrings, by Pretty Gonzo

You know, I don't remember when it was, but I have loved these earrings since the day I first saw them.  I think because they remind me of New Mexico (and vacation).  It's obviously the sun motif  silver focal beads and the desert colors in the African sand-cast resin beads on either side of the suns.  The blue suede fringe is perfectly matched.  These earrings are made by Mary of Pretty Gonzo.  I really think earrings are her thing.  Sometimes I can just see a picture of earrings and I know that she made them.  That means she has found her style, something I certainly still aspire to do.

Labradorite Crescent Moon Pendant by Jewelry Art by Dawn

This crescent moon shaped pendant is certainly a treasure that was hidden until I recently stumbled upon it.  A very creative design, with one copper wire circle inside another to create a moon in a circle.  Then the moon is filled in with tiny Labradorite beads delicately wire wrapped inside the crescent.  The finishing touch is a faceted Citrine briolette dangling from the bottom of the moon.  It's like a miniature work of art brought to you by Dawn, of Jewelry Art By Dawn.  By the way, she also paints!

Embossed Brass Leaf Pendant by Iron Mountain Jewelry

This pendant by Iron Mountain Jewelry is awesome.  I thought the shape of it was just random until I read the title and realized it is actually in the shape of a leaf.  I also thought at first that it was made from metal clay because of the texture on it.  Turns out its actually embossed.  I would sure like to know more about the process; I'm wondering if it's done with a rolling mill.  (Maybe that's not embossed, I don't know.)  Anyway, it's a treasure in my book!

Bronze Fold Form Forged Bracelet by Jan E O Jewelry

Here's a hidden gem!  This is a fold-formed bracelet in brass by Jan E O Jewelry.  I can appreciate this because I have taken a class in fold-forming and made some earrings.  I love the rustic look and the detailed texture that you see in some of the sections of the bracelet.  I also think it has a really great flame patina!

Sonoran Sunrise and Sterling Silver Earrings by Lunar Skies

These Sonoran Sunrise and sterling earrings by Lunar Skies are exquisite.  I think I picked these because of the gorgeous colors, because I just as easily could have picked anything in his studio.  They are all treasures!  I am not familiar with the stone called sonora sunrise, but apparently it is a combination of three different stones (from top to bottom): cuprite, tenorite, and chrysocolla.  Also I should tell you that the artist cuts his own stones.  (I know where I'm going to go shopping for cabs after I get better at soldering!)

Cerulean Wave by Shanghai Tai

OK, last but not least, I get to do a bit of self promotion.  This is Cerulean Wave, the redux version.  It is made of metal clay and blue dichroic glass.  I make many pendants, and don't always make them into necklaces.  I had photographed and listed this pendant on a blue cord that, while matching the dark blue in the dichroic glass, didn't do the pendant justice.  So I have added this gorgeous sterling silver chain.  It's wave pattern goes perfectly with the wave pattern in the bezel of the pendant.  People say sequels aren't as good, but the redux is better.






I hope you enjoyed this virtual treasure hunt back through the JCUIN guild!  Oh, if you'd like to see the Artfire Collection, you can find it here:

Hidden Treasures Redux

Winona Lake Show

I wanted to show everyone my booth at the Winona Lake Show last weekend.  There was a huge storm on Friday night and, being the procrastinator that I am, I was trying to get a lot of things done at the last minute. Then the power went out, so I thought, I'll go to bed and get up early.  When morning came we still didn't have power, or hot water, or not much water at all actually.  It did come on later though, so I did get to jump in the shower at the last minute so I didn't stink up my booth!

So, anyway, here it is.  As you can see we did some serious weights on it.  My husband set it up Friday night before the storm came in and as he left to go camping with the Boy Scouts he said "It's not going anywhere!"  He was right.  Unfortunately a couple of booths did get blown down in the storm, but mine was still standing.

The weather seemed to keep some of the crowds away.  It was supposed to be thunderstorms all day Saturday, but we never had a drop of rain.  Then Sunday was supposed to be nice, but in addition to a little bit of actual rain, it looked like it was going to rain all day.  The people who did show up were great though.

It was a fairly good show in spite of the weather, and I experienced a first for me.  When I checked in, they started telling me about sponsor awards.  I told them it didn't matter, because I sold jewelry so I was never going to get a sponsor award.  Corporations don't buy jewelry to hang on their corporate walls, I explained.  She said you never know, and not all of the sponsors were corporate sponsors.  Sure enough, she was right and I did get a sponsor award.  It wasn't a big one, but I'm not complaining, because I was very pleased just to get one!

So all in all, I'd say it was a pretty good show.

Hidden Treasures Part I

There is no theme for this installment featuring members of the Jewelry Creators Unite in Numbers (JCUIN) guild, other than they are some of my favorites.  I often have a theme in mind, and have to pick items that fit that theme.  I always come across items that I think are really special, but I can't include them since they don't fit my theme.  So this time I am sharing a few of them.  It could also be called "Stuff I love!"  I hope you'll agree that they are indeed hidden treasures.

I think this necklace by Jewelry Art by Dawn is so unique!  She has many necklaces with hand-painted pendants, but this is my favorite.  I love the color combination and I also love the way she has wrapped wire around some of the beads.  The moth almost looks like it's glowing in the dark!  What a fun and unique piece of wearable art!

Luna Moth Necklace Hand Painted Aventurine and Antiqued Copper Necklace

Chrysocolla, Peridot and Sterling Silver Pendant 

Now here's a gem of a pendant with a hidden surprise:  I love silver because it's so shiny.  I also love the color of this stone.  It looks great from the front, but how cool is it to have the word "Tranquility" in shiny silver secretly on the back of this beautiful pendant?  I wonder if it would help keep you calm just knowing it was there!  I originally thought this was cast but I'm pretty sure from the description that the design was cut out by hand with a little saw.  Definitely a one of a kind, by Lunar Skies Jewelry.

Black and White Floral Handwoven Cuff Bracelet

This cuff bracelet by Elizabeth Anne of Irish Expressions is so elegant.  I love the crisp detail of the black and white, yet at the same time it is very feminine.  Notice the extra little detail around the edge.  It must have taken hours and a lot of patience to make; all dressed up and waiting to go to your next special event!








I don't think most people appreciate the work that goes into a bracelet like this one by Julie of Blue Morning Expressions. The blue flower design with red accents was totally made from rolling different colors of clay into canes.  That takes talent, and a lot of practice, I'm sure.  Another one of a kind treasure -- This one would look great with a pair of jeans!

Copper and blue lace glass barrette

This barrette caught my eye a while back, mainly because it looks like blue lace agate.  It's actually glass.  It sure had me fooled.  I love blue lace agate, but that's not the reason it's here.  The reason it's one of my hidden gems is because of the wire-work.  What a lot of creativity it took to design this!  (Not to mention patience!)  Imagine how stunning this would be on a redhead!  This barrette is by Wagoner Wire Works.

Well, I hope you enjoyed these "hidden treasures" of handmade jewelry brought to you by the Jewelry Creators Unite In Numbers. Stay tuned for Part II.

Prom Night Memories Blog Hop (Hosted by It's A Handmade World)

Mother's Day Blog Hop Hosted by Shy Mousee

Donating Your Art

For my fellow artisans, this article has been the subject of much discussion in one of my Facebook groupls lately.  Many of you may have been asked at one time or another to donate a piece of art to a charity auction.  In the past, I would have donated to worthy causes, being happy to help out.  Thinking that it might be a marketing tool; that it might get me some exposure with a new pool of potential customers.

After reading this article, I have changed my opinion.  I think the author makes a valid point about why an artist should never donate their work for a charity auction.  My studio has implemented a new policy.  I will be happy to donate a percentage of the proceeeds of my work to charity, but I will not put my work in an auction.

Here's the article.  Tell me what you think:

The Career Benefits of Boycotting Charity Art Auctions

What do you think?  Have you, or would you donate your artwork to auctions?

Green With Envy! Hopes and Dreams Blog Hop

Hearts & Roses - Shymousee Blog Hop

Going Organic

If you're like me, when you think of organic, the first thing that comes to mind is buying organic foods.  Did you know there are also organic gemstones?  Although they are called "gemstones" they aren't technically gemstones, because they aren't minerals.  Organic gemstones are the result of biological processes.  

Organic gemstones include pearls, amber, coral, jet and ivory.  This month my Jewelry Creators Unite in Numbers (JCUIN) guild collection was GOING ORGANIC, and featured organic gems.  Since there are always more deserving pieces than will fit in the collection, I'm continuing the theme here in my blog.

Amber Disc Earrings by Shadow Dog Design, made of
reconstituted amber.

AMBER is fossilized tree resin.  It's usually a golden dark honey color, but the color does vary from a pale yellow to brown to almost black.  There is even red, green and even blue.  Since resin is originally soft and sticky, it is not unusual to see little insects embedded in it.  They get stuck and become part of the fossil.

"Moody Rings", amber set in sterling silver by Lunar Skies

Translucent amber is more valuable than the opaque variety.  Opaque amber has little bubbles in it and is called "bony amber."  I believe these cute little rings are made of bony amber.  As you can see, their color is a little different than the traditional orange.

"Daybreak" cultured freshwater pearl necklace by Shanghai Tai

PEARLS are produced by living organisms called mollusks (clams and oysters).  When an mollusk encounters an irritant inside it's shell, it coats the irritating object with a shiny nacre that becomes the pearl.

Freshwater pearl white teardrop bracelet
by Diane's Dangles

Mollusks who live in fresh water produce freshwater pearls, while those who live in salt water produce saltwater pearls.  A South Sea pearl is a type of saltwater pearl.  Natural pearls are very rare, as opposed to cultured pearls, which means the mollusk was encouraged by man to make the pearl by introducing the irritant into it's shell.

Wine red coral nugget choker necklace by
Crystal Bazaar (reconstituted coral)

CORAL is actually the bone structure of tiny marine animals called coral polyps.  These little animals are what build the coral reefs.  It comes in many colors and shapes.Since many of the reefs are endangered, you may want to do a little research in to what kind of coral you are buying.

Red coral and pearl necklace by
Pink Sunset Jewelry Designs

If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to read up on which corals are threatened or endangered.  There is plenty of information on the internet, but it will require a little research.

Amber and jet necklace by Epona's Jewels

Carved crystal skull with garnet, amber and jet
by Sage Garden

Vintage carved ivory earrings from my personal collection

JET is a black stone that is actually a form of coal.  As you might remember from your school days, coal is made of plant material that has been put under a lot of pressure.  It is often carved because it is fairly soft.




During the 19th century, jet was very popular.  This was largely because Queen Victoria wore it.  She is particularly remembered wearing jet as  part of her mourning dress after the death of her husband, Prince Albert.








IVORY traditionally came from elephant tusks.  Elephant ivory is banned in most countries now and difficult to find.  Ivory can also come from the teeth of large mammals such as Hippopotamus.  Common substitutes now come from bone.


I hope you enjoyed this little foray into the world of organic gemstones.  Here are some links to some of my resources if you would like to read more:

http://www.gemselect.com/other-info/organic-gems.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/business/global/08iht-rbogcoral.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/invertebrates/corals.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_(lignite)