SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!

SaWEEEEET!!! I was trying to sleep in on this early Sunday morning but I couldn't get them out of my mind, I had to get up and see how my pieces turned out. And they are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I need to polish them up etc but they look pretty darned good as they are.

So even though my kiln went all wonky on me the pieces all survived beautifully. Let's hope the same is true next time and next time and ....................

Here's a pic of them straight from the kiln. I used a couple of the new molds I made from buttons a few days ago and they are gorgeous!!



Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/

My first in home Bronze Firing

My somewhat long story of the first time I fire BronzClay at home in my own lovely little kiln.

For those of you who may not know, BronzClay has a much more complicated schedule than Silver clay or PMC. I took a Bronze class some months ago and I really like it, it suits my rustic and primitive style. But for some reason I haven't figured out I've been chicken to fire it at home. In the last year of jewelry making I do things I don't know how to do all the time, no problem, but this one stopped me in my tracks.

When I first learned to use Bronze, I couldn't fire it in the kiln I had. It was a manual kiln and would have been very difficult to babysit it all day using the Bronze firing schedule. I think there are many variations on this schedule but the one my instructor uses, the amazingly awesome and fun Patrik Kusek is 500 F per hour to 1550 F, hold for 2 hours. See why I didn't want to try this with a manual kiln OY!!!

So I purchased a programmable kiln quite some time ago, but I've never gotten the courage to use it. I took another Bronze and Copper class with Patrik and decided I had to face my fear and program my kiln and fire Bronze and now Copper at home.

The day after class I programmed it, and there it sat for about 3 weeks. Until today!!!!!! I made 3 fairly simple pairs of earrings, in case I ruin them all :). Loaded the container, put it in the kiln and turned it on. It shot up to 1,000 F right away, whaaaaat!!! So I turned if off and re-programmed it, and checked it several times, turned it back on and crossed my fingers.

Tic toc....so far so good, it's at 1,000 now for an hour.

Tic toc....10 minutes to go, then hopefully my kiln will go to 1550 for 2 hours and I'll have gotten through it.

Woohoo, in the home stretch. I won't be able to get in and see if this jewelry survived the firing until tomorrow.

So tune in tomorrow.

Kristi
http://DreamSome.Etsy.com

Fun with Photography

I was taking some traditional shots in my light box of a new piece of jewelry. I decided on such a beautiful fall morning I should go outside and wander around my new yard (moved about a month ago) and see what fun I could find out there.

I took my brand new piece, a somewhat new piece and one I've had for a little while and set off to discover. There are some great large moss covered rocks, a very large and tangled dried out tree root and various other things that I think make fun backdrops.


Here's the newly listed piece, first one of my light box shots which I usually take on slate and a variety of other surfaces, then the outside shots.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31589358




The first is on a lovely moss covered rock, then the gnarly tree root.




Here's my recently listed Flower pendant taken outside on the gnarly root and nestled in a Hens and Chicks plant.




Finally my slinky leaf pendant, which I thought was perfect for outdoor photograghy. It was actually the most difficult piece because it has so much movement, which is one of the things makes it so much fun to wear!





I just have to show you a full shot of this monster tree root, generously left here for me by the family we bought our house from. I'll be moving it at some point in to the garden area as a fantastic focal point, and I think it will be one of my favorite spots to photogragh my jewelry.




Kristi
http://DreamSome.Etsy.com

Day 5 Jewelry Intensive The END

My lovely week has come to an end :( I think I ended the week with a number of great pieces!!!What a great week!!!

Day 5 consisted of finishing up any loose ends, my big pendant finally got a chain. I made it from wire shaped in the same teardrop shape as the stone. I think it certainly makes a bold statement!

I also set a cute little Turquoise stone, orinally I was planning on a ring with some brass or bronze wire but in the end I made another much more delicate pendant. I think I might save this little beauty for myself, I suspect it might be an everyday piece for me.

Time to go back to the real world of unpacking from last weekends move and going back to work. The most fun part will be building my new studio, we've already got a couple of very large work and storage pieces in that just need tops.

I have expanded my jewelry making knowledge quite alot and I plan to use it all! I'm very happy to have gotten lots of soldering practice and in my new studio I will have a soldering station for sure. I'll finally get to take my torch out of the box and use it!!

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my wonderful week of learning. Look for new non PMC items in my shop. Actually I might create a separate shop for my sterling work, the PMC deserves a shop of it's own.

Thank you Dana http://www.danacadesign.com/, you did a wonderful job and I'm sure everybody in the class would agree!! Can't wait for our little reunion! :)

Kristi

http://dreamsome.etsy.com/

Day 4 Jewelry Intensive

I can't believe it's almost over, I'm exhausted but don't want it to end. It's been such a fun week learning all kinds of new stuff and meeting 10 really wonderful people!!!

Day 4 mostly consisted of making a bold Sterling Silver band ring. For me it's either a thumb or middle finger ring and it's quite comfortable.

Starting with a strip of Sterling sheet I put it through the rolling mill with a piece of paper with little craft punch cut outs. It's amazing what texture you can get from rolling any number of things through with the silver. Here is the result...



Then measuring it to the proper size and sawing off the excess. Then work and work and shape and shape and pound and pound it in to somewhat of a round shape, the ends have to meet as flush as possible before they can be soldered together. This was the first solder I did without any help and I'm very pleased with it.

Next step, polish and sand and pound some more to make sure it is in completely round and take any rough spots down to a smooth buttery finish. Then I shaped the little flares on both sides which makes a wide band that much more comfortable. Here is the finished product...

This morning before class I am working on shaping links for a chain for my Ruby Pendant (day 2-3 project) so I'll be ready to piece it all together and solder it and then I can set the stone and it will be finished today.

I have started another bezel for a small Turquoise Cabachon that I may make in to a ring or a pendant, haven't actually decided. I'm thinking I'll add some sort of bronze or copper ornamentation to it to show off the lovely inclusions in the stone.

Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/

Days 2 & 3 Jewelry Intensive

Days 2 & 3 are surely intense!! We worked on making a pendant and setting a stone. I chose to set a stone I've had for some time, it's a beautiful rather large teardrop of Ruby Fuchite. Beautiful pinkish red with a splash of green.

Because I've been in the process of moving the last month or so I've had virtually no opportunity to make jewelry. Besides not really having the time much of my jewelry making supplies have been packed away. It feels fabulous to once again be creative!

This project included designing around the stone, sawing and soldering the bezel and other componants and setting the stone. Over the last 2 days I've really enjoyed seeing mine and the other students projects come to life, there are some amazing pieces. I tried to take pictures of many of the other projects in process and I'll try to take finished pictures too.

Here are a few of mine along the way from start to finish.


In the beginning, the bezel has been soldered and the cut out been done. The little piece of paper shows the approximate design I'm going for.



The back showing the piece that was cut out, I'm thinking that piece might end up as another piece of jewelry.



Nearly there, just have to make a chain for it.



Here's the finished back, 2 little bails and the back of the stone has lots of personality too, it would have been a shame to cover it up.

I'm very excited to set more stone, lots of ideas floating in my head, I really need to find my sketchbook in all these boxes and get my studio set up!!

Stay tuned for day 4!!

Kristi
http://dreamsome.etsy.com/

Day 1 Jewelry Intensive

I'm taking a week long Jewelry Intensive class from http://www.danacadesign.com/ Having lots of fun and everybody in the class is great, including Dana our instructor.

Day one consisted of choosing a design for a Copper Pin, sawing it and forging it. I have done some sawing before but nothing along these lines, very intricate and somewhat time consuming work, but the results are worth it.

I always like to take a few minutes to wander around the room and see what everybody else is creating and as always there was some very cool stuff. Wish I'd taken some pictures. Maybe today (day 3....ya I'm a little behind due to many factors lol) I'll take some if the students are willing to share.

But alas today all I have is my first creation, I'm pretty pleased with it. I would have like to have been able to spend more time on detailed texturing but I'll just have to create something else!

So, here is my Copper Butterfly Pin


Tomorrow (which is actually yesterday :), we'll be setting a stone. Creating and soldering a bezel and designing an entire piece around it.


Kristi
http://DreamSome.Etsy.com