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I always look forward to this time of year. Especially because November is the month of the pomegranate. Every year, when they start appearing in my grocery store, I get them and share them with my family - by either just enjoying their red juicy seeds all by themselves, or putting them in salads and dishes. They're so festive - and so good for you too! I love
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Next Etsy Metal Jewelry Challenge: Project Runway Season 6-Episode 11: "Create a Companion Look"
But first, Here are our fabulous "eight" EtsyMetal Team entries from last weeks'
"Pick-a-Place" theme!
Last weeks TV challenge was to make a piece of jewelry that was inspired by one of Michael Kors favorite places....
For our challenge we asked that you use one of your own personal favorite places for your inspiration. I think this will open our creative doors and the love of making even wider!
For our challenge we asked that you use one of your own personal favorite places for your inspiration. I think this will open our creative doors and the love of making even wider!
For those of you who are just stopping in for a peek, EtsyMetal is holding a fun freestyle Jewelry Challenge that is coinciding with Project Runway episodes. Every Friday we will post the video snippet (see bottom of this post) of the latest PR challenge, then we post all the submissions from the previous weeks challenge. (as shown below)
#1~ Shannon Conrad “The Wine Dark Sea”Inspiration location: Oregon Coast, USA.
Shannon says, “I chose the Oregon Coast (where I grew up). Flashy Labradorite always reminds me of the stormy sea. I topped the Labradorite with a piece of carnelian because there is nothing like watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Lastly, I added a couple of decorative balls to represent the beautiful rocky coastline. ”
Please see Shannon’s Flickr here!
#2~ Catherine Chandler “necklace”Inspiration location: “Australia”
Catherine says, "I designed this necklace based on the design aesthetic I was witness to much of the time while I was living in Australia. It was inspiring and greatly affected my own design aesthetic and the way I work. I created this necklace using pieces of scrap silver and wire for the links. I have been wanting to use these pieces of scrap silver for a necklace for a couple years, but could never figure out exactly what to do with them. The necklace has been given a matte finish and hangs beautifully and comfortably on the wearer."
See Catherine’s Flickr here!
#3~ Victoria Takahashi “Pieces of Earth”Inspiration location: Washington Coast, USA.
I am directly inspired by the Washington Coast. It is a place where I can sit and truly have my mind and all the chatter quiet down. It is my meditation. Whether I am sitting and looking at rocks for days on end or just to randomly curl up and take a nap with the sound of the waves in the background... The fresh air and the salty smells of the ocean...blissss....
Sterling Silver, Beachstones, Oxidized, Fabricated.
Please see more of my EMJC-PR challenges here on my Flickr!
#4~ Delias Thompson “necklace”Inspiration location: Greece
Delias says, "I chose Greece which happens to be my favorite place in the world. I love how old and new collide and live in harmony. In my piece I mimicked the granulation that you will often find in old world style Greek jewelry a long with a hammered surface to symbolize the more modern influences."
Please see more about Delias here!
#5~ Sara Westermark “ring”Inspiration location:
Inspiration location: Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, USA.
Sara says, "I used concrete to incorporate the small industrial grade garnets that I found.”
Please see Sara’s Blog!
Inspiration location: Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, USA.
Sara says, "I used concrete to incorporate the small industrial grade garnets that I found.”
Please see Sara’s Blog!
#6~ Rachelle Stromberg "Embrace"Inspiration location: Ocean City Beach
Please see Rachelle’s Flickr here!
#7~ Nina Gibson “necklace”Inspiration location: Los Angeles, CA. USA.
Nina says, “The Palm Trees of Southern California serve as my inspiration for my Project Runway Jewelry Challenge. The necklace features a row of palms decorating a slightly curved strip of sterling silver. A 'road' of copper is riveted to the silver along the bottom edge.
Please see Nina’s blog here!
#8~ Thomasin Durgin “bracelet”
Inspiration location: City Park
Tomi says, “I made a bracelet inspired by the old, giant magnolias in the city park where I walk my dogs. This Silver and Copper cuff was pierced, sawn, soldered, riveted, and forged.
Please see Tomi’s Flickr here!
Inspiration location: City Park
Tomi says, “I made a bracelet inspired by the old, giant magnolias in the city park where I walk my dogs. This Silver and Copper cuff was pierced, sawn, soldered, riveted, and forged.
Please see Tomi’s Flickr here!
We have “one” inspired guest designer submission this week!
Cory Howard "Glacier Ice"Cory says, "I was watching a program on TV where these spelunkers climbed down into a crevice in a glacier. It was the most awesome place I had ever seen! Everything was sparkling and translucent and luminous. I have wanted to go to a place like this ever since! It made me think of all the amazing places we have on this planet. Some of which you'd never think about existing but they are there and you can see them and experience them and I think that's amazing!
**guidelines for guest participants:**
Please read this every week as there may be small updates and changes. The pieces you submit must be pieces that are made specifically for the weeks show. Then post your links in this comment area, and cross-post this blog post to your Blog, Flickr, Etsy, etc. And tag them with "EMJC-PR.” Currently we will post your name with a link and a picture of your piece on our blog. Remember, the deadline for submitting your link is always on Fridays, 12 noon, Pacific Standard Time.
Thank YOU! We can't wait to see what you will come up with!
Please read this every week as there may be small updates and changes. The pieces you submit must be pieces that are made specifically for the weeks show. Then post your links in this comment area, and cross-post this blog post to your Blog, Flickr, Etsy, etc. And tag them with "EMJC-PR.” Currently we will post your name with a link and a picture of your piece on our blog. Remember, the deadline for submitting your link is always on Fridays, 12 noon, Pacific Standard Time.
Thank YOU! We can't wait to see what you will come up with!
Video Snippet for next weeks 6.11
"Create a Companion Look" challenge!
Designers!
This weeks TV challenge was to create a companion look
that compliments and enhances
one of their best designs from a previous challenge......
So, for our jewelry challenge, you should do exactly the same!
So, for our jewelry challenge, you should do exactly the same!
Make a "companion piece that compliments and enhances" one of your best designs from a previous season 6 challenge.
“Now Carry On!"
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Etsy Metal Finds
Who says white is not a good color for winter? I always hope for snow - and white is the color that reminds me of it. I love bright whites, warm whites, creamy whites and every shade in between.
Winter White
Monday, October 26, 2009
Product Review - Firescoff
I recently had a rose gold project that I was really excited about doing, but I was also concerned because I know rose gold can be quite finicky and it tends to change into an ugly color when oxidized. So I branched out and bought a small bottle of Firescoff, since it claimed to protect the color of metals.
After I tried it, I realized it did! My rose gold didn't even need pickling!
What it is: a ceramic flux spray, that replaces flux, firecoat and pickle. It cleans up with just warm water.
To use Firescoff, you just need to heat your piece up slightly (the directions say to around 250 degrees F.) A tip I learned was that you can put a drop of water on your piece and heat it until the water boils off. This means you have the right temperature.
Next, spray a even mist over the entire piece. When you put the fire back on it you will see it bubble up into a white powdery coating. If you can still see the sheen on parts of your metal, you may want to spray again.
As soon as your soldering is finished, you can just clean the rest of the white coating off with water. Voila! No need to pickle, and the rose gold color is still the same as when I started.
Firescoff isn't super cheap for the size that you get, though. So, stick to your regular method for silver and other metals that do fine in a pickle. But for certain projects, it's good to have on hand!
After I tried it, I realized it did! My rose gold didn't even need pickling!
What it is: a ceramic flux spray, that replaces flux, firecoat and pickle. It cleans up with just warm water.
To use Firescoff, you just need to heat your piece up slightly (the directions say to around 250 degrees F.) A tip I learned was that you can put a drop of water on your piece and heat it until the water boils off. This means you have the right temperature.
Next, spray a even mist over the entire piece. When you put the fire back on it you will see it bubble up into a white powdery coating. If you can still see the sheen on parts of your metal, you may want to spray again.
As soon as your soldering is finished, you can just clean the rest of the white coating off with water. Voila! No need to pickle, and the rose gold color is still the same as when I started.
Firescoff isn't super cheap for the size that you get, though. So, stick to your regular method for silver and other metals that do fine in a pickle. But for certain projects, it's good to have on hand!
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Next Etsy Metal Jewelry Challenge: Project Runway Season 6-Episode 10: "Pick-a-Place"
But first, Here are our fabulous "eight" EtsyMetal participant entries from last weeks'
"Sparkle, Shimmer & Shine" theme!
LAST week our participants were asked to design and make a piece that was sparkly shimmery and shiny show stopper that was appropriate stage wear bling. Well to simplify this for the jewelry challenge needs, we narrowed it down to simply making a piece that
Sparkled, Shimmered, or/& Shined!
See below for this weeks fabulous entries!
For those of you who are just stopping in for a peek, EtsyMetal is holding a fun freestyle Jewelry Challenge that is coinciding with Project Runway episodes. Every Friday we will post the video snippet (see bottom of this post) of the latest PR challenge, then we post all the submissions from the previous weeks challenge. (as seen below)
See below for this weeks fabulous entries!
For those of you who are just stopping in for a peek, EtsyMetal is holding a fun freestyle Jewelry Challenge that is coinciding with Project Runway episodes. Every Friday we will post the video snippet (see bottom of this post) of the latest PR challenge, then we post all the submissions from the previous weeks challenge. (as seen below)
#1~ Thomasin Durgin “Bling”Tomi says, “A modern pendant featuring a large, glittering Swarvorski crystal surrounded by a sterling silver oval with a bright, polished surface. As the crystal swings back and forth it catches the light and separates it into tiny rainbows. My friend describes this design as "bling", whatever it is, it certainly took me beyond my comfort zone.” Please see Tomi’s Flickr here!
#2~ Shannon Conrad “Vintage Glass Cocktail Ring”Shannon says, “Vintage faceted Czech glass has been bezel-set upside down. The ring band was created by soldering two strips of low-dome Sterling Silver wire together and then adding the beaded wire detail. Please see Shannon’s Flickr here!
#3~ Rachelle Stromberg “Sparkle”Rachelle says, “I wanted something very sparkly so I bezel set a 23.5 x 19.5mm very pale faceted Amethyst in Sterling Silver.” Please see Rachelle’s Flickr here!
#4~ Alisa Miller “necklace"Alisa says, “I handmade Brass sequins on a Sterling Silver backing.
Please see more on Alisa’s Flickr set!
#5~ Sara Westermark “earrings”Sara says, "London Blue Topaz and Rhodolite Garnet earrings in oxidized Sterling Silver.
Did I mention that I absolutely love to do tube settings?"
Please see Sara’s Blog!
#5~ Nina Gibson “earrings”Nina says, “The feathery earrings do have shine. Using the feather motif, I've attached six pieces of hand cut patterned brass feather or leaf shapes to strips of sterling silver as if they were sequins, pinned with a bit of fine silver. They move freely on their pins and catch the light nicely. I am letting them dangle from ear wires so they can swing with the wearer's movement.
Please see Nina’s blog here!
#6~ Beth Cyr “Bling”Beth says, “14k palladium white gold and 4.5mm diamonds set in 18k palladium w.gold.”
To read more please see Beth’s blog here!
#7~ Stacey Hansen “ring"Stacey says, “I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to combine some modern metalwork with my new rose cut gems.This ring was fabricated from scratch and features two green amethyst gems.” Please read more on Stacey’s blog!
#8~ Victoria Takahashi “Vegas Baby!”"These earrings are made of oxidized, fabricated Sterling Silver and sunshine yellow Cubic Zirconias. They reminded me of a Vegas Showgirls costuming with the giant fans, I also like the art deco feel to these."
Please see more of my EMJC-PR challenges here on my Flickr!
We have “one” sparkling guest designer submission this week!
Cory Howard made a Sterling Silver and faceted Morganite ring!**guidelines for guest participants:**
Please read this every week as there may be small updates and changes. The pieces you submit must be pieces that are made specifically for the weeks show. Then post your links in this comment area, and cross-post this blog post to your Blog, Flickr, Etsy, etc. And tag them with "EMJC-PR.” Currently we will post your name with a link and a picture of your piece on our blog. Remember, the deadline for submitting your link is always on Fridays, 12 noon, Pacific Standard Time.
Thank YOU! We can't wait to see what you will come up with!
Video Snippet for next weeks 6.10
"Pick-a-Place!" challenge!
Designers! This weeks TV challenge was to make a piece of jewelry that was inspired by one of Michael Kors favorite places....
BUT, for our jewelry challenge, you should use one of YOUR personal favorite places for your inspiration. I think this will open our creative doors and the love of making even wider! And please share a picture of your place if you have one!
So "Pick-a-Place and Carry On!"
Upcoming Art Shows/Festivals
October 23, 24, & 25
Sara Westermark - Fall for the Arts, Lake Gaston/Littleton, NC
October 24-25,2009
Kathryn Riechert - Fine Arts For Ocala - Ocala, FL
Metalriot - River Arts Fest - Memphis, TN
Sara Westermark - Fall for the Arts, Lake Gaston/Littleton, NC
October 24-25,2009
Kathryn Riechert - Fine Arts For Ocala - Ocala, FL
Metalriot - River Arts Fest - Memphis, TN
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Etsy Metal Finds
If you've been reliving your high school days every Wednesday night, watching misfit kids and quirky teachers perform over-engineered show tunes and top 40, then these finds are for you! I've found myself looking forward to it every week. You can catch up on episodes here.
All the single ladies:
Glee.
For the aspiring performer:
Some healthy "Boy versus Girl" competition:
All the single ladies:"If you liked it, you should have put a ring on it":
For the Cheerio Cheerleader:
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