3xR Challenge 2014 Week 7

Well, if Betsy Bensen's week 7 picture is anything to go by, Spring has sprung and the snowdrops are blooming in her corner of the world, as they are here too in blustery Yorkshire, England!  A concise and perfectly formed little collection this week from our 3xR-ers.  We haven't used up all our stones and gems and forgotten metal yet so tune in next week to see what we have been up to.

1. Betsy Bensen Tiffany stone, pearl drop pendant, 2. PyxeeStyxDress it Up - magazine submissions 187, 3. SCJ Jewelery Design Copper Silver Theater Curtain Fold Formed EM 3xR/7, 4.Bracken Design1598AngleRing3, 5.Virginie Martin Studio Coyamito Agates Cufflinks - Week 7, 6. Cari-Jane Hakes 3xR week 7 work in progress

Charm Swap 13 - Lucky 13!

Time is quickly approaching for the 13th EtsyMetal Charm Swap!  All us swappers are busily designing, pondering and developing ideas for our charms. Some are almost done!!  Here are a couple of great beginning ideas.  Can't wait to see what everyone decides to do!

Nodeform

"I did some sketches for possible charm designs with engraved textures (since I am teaching myself engraving or some sort of that) and possible color accents."

"and did a prototype with the first design using a sterling disk, 18k gold accents and a tube set Moissanite. Not sure if silver or dark oxidized color is the way to go. "

"Engraving still needs lot's of work so it does not look so rugged. Need to try different graver shapes to see which works better for this type of pattern. For my financial sake I may switch the color theme and do the disk in brass with silver accents. Haven't soldered with brass in years, gotta give it a try."

Quench Metalworks

"WIP pics….."

CitiZen Objects

"I'm thinking one of two things- I just finished a commission for some conchos, which would make fab charms, or charms based on a brooch from last year's challenge:"

Iacua

"These are old pics, I actually am almost done....but here are the just starting shots."

What's New!

Come and see what's new in etsymetal team member shops this week! 

 2Roses                                                                             aroluna

 CitiZenoBjeCts                                                              lsueszabo

 LjBjewelry                                                        Houseonhudson

 SCJJewelryDesign                                                  simplyMegA

  Anne Walker                                              MicheleGradyDesign

betsybensen                                         Peggie Calame Jewelry

                         Silentgoddess  

3XR Challenge 2014 Week 6

You've gotta love the innovation of the Etsy Metal team! Here's another week of our artists cleverly finding ways to use materials from our stashes and caches to make beautiful new work!

1. SCJ Jewelry Design Sterling Silver Shamrock Necklace with Peridot EM3xR/wk5, 2. Knit Steel Respect, dignity, compassion pendants, hammered in sterling silver., 3. Sarah Hood Jewelry Steno Necklace 1, 4. Betsy Bensen Peridot ring, 5. Iacua 3xR 2014, 6. L Sue Szabo L. SUE SZABO/3XR-5,6, 7. Lichen and Lychee Patchwork Band in 14k White and Rose Gold, 8. Virginie Martin Studio 3xR Week 6, 9. Hybrid Handmade Cari-Jane Hakes 3xR week 6, 10. SCJ Jewelry Design EM3xR 2014/6 Sterling Silver and Copper Anticlastic Bracelet, 11. Bracken Designs 1592RubyWhiteSatinRingModel, 12. Hartley Studio Etsymetal 3xR week 6, 13. Beth Cyr Jewelry Love knot w/ sapphire - EtsyMetal 3xR challenge, 14. Knit Steel Textured and stained copper earrings

What's New!

 LSueSzabo                                                 Panicmama Jewelry

 Juju by Sarah                                                             LjBjewelry

 2Roses                                                                 Amity Jewelry

 FluxPlay Jewellery                                      SCJJewelryDesign

 simplyMegA                                                           betsybensen

Michele Grady Designs                                lichen and lychee

3xR Challenge 2014 week 5

It looks like our Etsy Metal team are sitting on a gold mine in the literal and metaphorical sense! Beautiful creations this week from our fabulous metal-smith, goldsmiths and jewelry designer/makers. Which one is your favorite?  Click on the links below to find out more about each piece and view the other pieces our Etsy Metal 3xR's are working on.

1. 1581CopperFoldsTurquoisePendant2, 2. 3xR Etsymetal Challenge Week 5 Remember Oceans, 3. L. SUE SZABO/3XR-5, 4. 3xR week 5, 5. 3xR 5, 6. Cari-Jane Hakes 3xR week 5, 7. Steno Necklace 1, 8. Rose Cut Peach Diamond Ring in 14k White and Rose Gold, 9. 3XR #5 Rose Quartz Ring, 10. Hammered Bronze ginkgo leaf, 11. Amethyst Sage Agate and Holly Lavender Chalcedony Handmade Necklace, 12. petrified palm, sterling silver, 14kt gold, 13. Oval Rose Cut Sapphire and 14k Rose Gold Earrings20140129_943, 14. Love knot w/ sapphire - EtsyMetal 3xR challenge, 15. 3xr logo

Member Feature- Hybrid Hand Made

Blog interview with Cari-Jane Hakes of Hybrid Handmade by Su Trindle

February 2014

http://www.etsy.com/hybridhandmade

Hello Cari-Jane. Welcome to the EtsyMetal Team. I know you live in the North of England but tell me a little more about where you live and work?  I currently live at the base of the Yorkshire Wolds in England. I can climb up their gentle slopes and see the silvery expanse of the River Humber, which is so wide I feel like I could be on a little island.  I am a displaced Scot, I claim Glasgow as my 'hometown' although I have led a nomadic life up until now, never living at one address for longer than 5 years!

I live and work in the same place which is essential for me at the moment due to the age of my children.  I like that my boys know what I'm working on and they will often offer unsolicited advice on new designs!

Can you describe a typical studio day for you? I have other work commitments so a day spent in my studio space at my workbench is something I look forward to.  As I grow my business, this time is steadily increasing. 

A typical day will involve an hour or two of promoting my work online, updating all the various visual media sites available to us solo craft-preneurs.  Then it's headphone in. I listen to BBC Radio and 'This American Life' podcasts. When I lived in France I would listen and try to learn French from various language podcasts as I worked. While I listen, I will crack on with whatever orders have come in from Etsy or Notonthehightstreet.  I also do a lot of private commissions.  All of this happens with regular celebratory tea breaks when a solder joint flows first time.  During the day I'm usually trying to meet a postal deadline but the evenings tend to be much quieter, fluid times. That is when I'll work on new designs or submissions for exhibitions.

Do you have a current favourite piece? I recently completed this brooch for the Supbrooch online exhibition by One Wall Gallery which specifically looked at brooches designed for and worn exclusively by men. How did this design develop? I have a number of conceptual themes that I keep coming back to in my work.  One of these themes is the Northern Lights. This brooch was based around one of the old stories told by Eskimos concerning the origin, meaning and purpose of these mysterious light shows and their relationship to labradorite rocks.

Do you have a favourite process or part of the making process? It still amazes me how well silver can accept the most delicate of textures - leaf skeletons for example.  Even though I must have put silver and leaves through my rolling mill hundreds of times I still marvel at how beautiful the resulting texture is.  If there is anyone near my workbench I will haul them over to take a look.  It makes me feel like a magician.

And I love the part of the making process where what I see in my hands begins to exceed the image I held in my head and sketched in my book - that is truly a most fantastic moment.

Anything exciting in the pipeline?  I'm really excited about a potential exhibition that fellow jeweller, Dauvit Alexander, and I may collaborate and host in the not too distant future - I'm hoping to get a few EtsyMetal members interested in submitting work for it.