One More!

Well, I finished one more necklace today. I think I'll make a ring next. A really big one...

(I know these are bad images, I was just so excited to get it posted when I finished! Better pics soon to come, I promise!)

Inspiration

This past week I spent all day everyday helping out at the Boys and Girls Club in Guadalupe. Although I spent almost no time in the studio, I am posting what I did do this week with the kids because I believe that we are inspired by everything around us. So, even though I wasn't working in the studio, I was spending some quality time with some very inspiring individuals and getting ideas for new work! The kids gave me lots of headaches, lots to laugh about, all their germs (and a nasty cold), and lots of them gave me beautiful original artworks that I would like to share with you. Some of these are portraits the kids did of me, and as you can see, children see the world much differently than we do! Unfortunately I cannot post pictures of the kids themselves, but here is some of the artwork they did for me this week, and in the past.

Work vs. Work

Well, today was the first day I've been into the studio in about a week. Sad, I know. I've been helping out at the Boys and Girls Club everyday this week and have come home too exhausted from crazy children to even think about working on anything creative! I love those kids, but I love my studio time too, and this week I have been going through creative withdrawl! Tonight I spent a little time working and I got about 75% done with another necklace in my "Connection Series". I just need to do the embroidery, set the top piece, and do a little bit of finishing work. Hopefully I will get back into the studio this weekend! Here are some pics of the newest (unfinished) necklace...

(Top picture shows the top piece of the pendant with holes drilled and ready for embroidery.)

This picture shows the top piece of the pendant and the chain.

This picture shows the top piece of the pendant on top of the back plate before the prongs have been soldered on. This picture shows pendant with unfinished prongs. All that is left now is embroidering and setting the top piece!

"Connection Series"

This summer I had a goal to get some of my jewelry into a gallery. I've been finding a million ways to keep myself busy and away from that little task. It's funny the things I can convince myself that need to be done first (like creating business cards, a blog, and custom return address labels with my name and logo). Well, after much procrastination, I am finally approaching that task and starting on a line of sterling silver embroidered jewelry. I finished the first piece yesterday and am almost finished with a second. Here are some pictures of the first piece in progress. I will be posting pictures of the pieces that will follow as soon as I finish them. If you are a frequent gallery attender and know of a place my work would fit well into, by all means, let me know. After I make the pieces I have the daunting task of searching out a gallery who will show me. Yikes!

This picture was taken of the top piece that I sew into and the back of the bottom piece which is what the top piece is set into. The back piece has two hooks which will be where the chain attaches. This way the piece serves dually as pendant and clasp. (I took these pictures right on my bench so, sorry for the ugly background!)

This is a picture of the pendant as I am embroidering on it. In the background is the back piece with the prongs which the embroidered piece will be set into.

This is a picture of the finished pendant. I embroidered the top piece and then prong set it into the back piece.

This shows the back of the pendant and how it works as both pendant and clasp.

This is the finished piece, complete with oxidized chain. This necklace is for sale in my Etsy shop.

Check back for more as I hope to have several more pieces completed before school starts!

My New Shop

I finally decided to take the plunge. I quit my job to make jewelry full time. I set up an online shop for my jewelry and have spent the last few weeks photographing all of my inventory in order to post it online. The shop is through a site called Etsy. Etsy was created for artists and crafts people to sell their work. Everything on the site is handmade by artists all over the world. Most of what I have up now is beaded earrings and some small fabricated items. I will be spending the next several weeks before school starts working on a line of finer pieces. I want to create a line of pendants, rings, and brooches, incorporating sewing into silver. Please check out my shop and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy looking at what I have so far, tell your friends, and get your jewelry on! Check back often as I am updating the site almost daily.

To visit my shop go to:

http://www.asymmetry.etsy.com/

There are also many other great artists/metalsmiths on etsy.com! Check it out!