Sea Side

Some time ago my Florida son gave me a bunch of sea shells.  I haven't totally decided what to do with them but I've been tossing around some ideas.  I want to make a SEA based necklace so follow along as I make it and probably make mistakes.

I started out with a plain white sea shell. I drilled a hole through the back for an attachment spot.  Not sure I'm going to need it but wanted it there just in case.

After drilling the hole I lightly sanded the shell with fine sand paper so I would have a good surface for drawing.  I didn't want this to be any old regular white sea shell.  I cleaned it with glass cleaner then got out the colored pencils and started drawing.

Now the shell is covered with a blue background, red coral, green sea weed, a couple of star fish, sea horses and sea urchins.

Once that was all done I sprayed it with fixative and will let it dry until I can get back to the basement and back to work constructing the necklace.  I have other shells to add and may add some metal charms as well as seed beads.  I've got a few ideas.  We'll see how it works.

TA-DA

Finally got around to photographing my fused jewelry projects.  Found out that's not so easy to do.  Shinny flat pieces of glass tend to glare. 

Most of the projects are pendents.  There's one broach and three pairs of earrings.  In case you don't know what fused glass is.  You layer fusible glass, in this case small pieces, then fire them in a kiln till they melt together.  It's interesting to see how the glass blends in the kiln.  For the most part I like the interest of the bubbles in the glass but some people prefer no bubbles.  I think it shows that's they're hand made.  Bubbles tend to form in the spaces between the pieces of glass.

For a better look these will be gradually posted to my ArtFire store.  Some of the photos didn't come out so good so I'll have to do them over again.  I can certainly say I'm hooked on hot glass. 

Of course fused glass isn't all I've been doing.

I've made a necklace loaded with flowers.

Then a spiral beaded blue and green necklace.

The color of that necklace got me on a blue and green kick and I love the cha-cha bracelets.  So......

Since the weather has been so bad, this weekend, some of our plans got canceled.  I really didn't mind because that gave me more time in the basement.  I'm still working on my goal of learning new stuff.  Last night I made a hammered copper cuff bracelet with turquoise and coral riveted to the front with copper wire.

And there you have it.  My latest projects.

Busy, busy, busy

Last post I talked about attending a glass fusing class.  I learned a few things from it and have been able to successfully fuse a few pieces on my own.  I'll have pictures to post in a few days.

Many of you may know I work in an accounting office during the day and of course have been fairly busy there.  That has all calmed down now that April 15th is past.

In addition to that I've been assigned the re-construction of our DAR chapter web site.  I'm having a little trouble with google cooperation but the web site is coming together on my end.  Not sure yet if I'll be able to use it because google has suspended the site and won't give me an answer as to why.  If I can't get an answer before much longer I'll try a blog instead.

We're also preparing for our 100th anniversary in our DAR chapter and a lot of us are planning to construct revolutionary war period costumes.  I just ordered 3 books with instructions, information and patterns.  I have a period costume for the 1860's era but not 1776.

And of course I'm still making jewelry.  Ain't life fun???

Just checking in.

I haven't blogged in a while I was feeling guilty.  My granddaughter, Emily, snagged up the flower vine picture frame.  Bob's tissue box cover is finished.  I'm temporarily burned out on seed beads. 

Tomorrow morning I'm attending a glass fusing class. I've done a little glass fusing on my own but figure it wouldn't hurt to see what I might be doing wrong.  Besides I'll get to make a fussed glass necklace. 

Now I'm ready to try some new stuff.  Very glad to be finished, for now, with seed beads and glue.

I've Been Framed

Here's a look at the rest of the beaded picture frames.  This will be the last frames I do for a long time.  I've enjoyed this but I'm ready to get back to making jewelry.  I hope you enjoy this quick look.

Wrapped UP

I've been so wrapped up in beading new picture frames that I haven't taken the time to photograph or post any thing new for some time now.  I have a few new frames finished and another one almost complete.  I ran short on some of the beads and had to order more.  They are supposed to be here by Friday.   I hope to finish this weekend and will post the new pictures.

More Picture Frames

I'm having too much fun with these things.  I went to Michaels and stocked up on more blank frames and more hanks of beads.  Got a few in different frame shapes too.  The beads are Blue Moon beads and made in India.  The sizes and shapes are very random but that makes for more interesting texture on the frames.

I keep learning as I go.  I've found out it's easier and less stinky to use Aleen's Tacky Glue instead of contact glue.  I've also learned that keeping baby wipes on hand is an easy way to get glue off my hands when I accidentally touch a spot I've just glued.  The baby wipes are also great for going over the sections of beads and pressing on them to make sure they're all well stuck in the glue.  The wipes help remove excess glue so I can see what I've missed and if the wipes are still wet the beads won't stick and pull beads out of place.

As much as possible I use the beads still on the strings and after sticking them in the glue, pull the string out.  Another things I've learned is that if I'm not being careful I tend to drop the string of beads land get beads every where. (Can't walk and chew gum too well either)  Attaching large beads and filling small areas with seed beads is still one bead at a time.

The frame below is shades of blue and grey.  The picture area is offset from center with a larger area to the right of the picture.  On that side I've used three graduated sizes of mirrors for accent.  The lines of beads were purposely placed in wavy lines and kind of make me think of a pool of water.  Since all the beads are odd shaped it would be impossible to get straight lines.

The frame below was almost too much fun.  I had several small pieces of glass that I fused to play with color and didn't really have a plan for any of them.  Those pieces of glass have been sitting around gathering dust.  I put those pieces in a bag and whacked them with a hammer, then glued them to the frame like glass tile.  Then I went back and filled open spaces with seed beads.  The seed beads were left over from the first frame I made and I didn't worry about what color, just stuck them on as I went.  The outside and inside edges were covered with randomly strung seed beads.

The frame below is a variation on the first one I made.  It features crosses and chunks of colored glass.  After gluing the beads to the front I put all the left overs in a bead spinner and strung them for sticking to the sides and inner edges.