Etsy Fort Worth January Challenge

I've spent the past month working on this project for the Etsy Fort Worth Craft Challenge. Below is a simple how-to in picture form.

Materials list:
1 sushi tray
2 pieces of leather cut to the same size
4 lengths of 26 gauge copper wire cut to about 20"
4 lengths of 26 gauge copper wire cut to about 18"
2 lengths of 26 gauge copper wire cut to about 36"
Barge Cement




The item they chose for this challenge was a sushi container and I just happened to have some around the house. You can see in this picture how the bottom is already divided into rectangular sections.


Using a pair of sharp scissors I cut the rectangles out.


Then, using a sharp tool I punched a hole in each of the four corners. The sections are fairly delicate and so punch the holes with as little pressure as possible.


I cut a rectangular strip of leather about 6inches long by 3 wide. You can cut it to any size that you are comfortable with. I set the rectangles into a pattern that I found interesting. I also had some cut glass beads I planned to use in the necklace. I also cut 4 pieces of 26 gauge copper wire into about 20" lengths. I set the rectangles onto the leather and punched holes so that I stitch them on using the copper wire as my "thread".


I started from the backside of the leather and laced the wire through putting using the rectangles as beads.
To place the beads I brought the two wires out of the first "bead" and put both of them through the bead. Then I laced both wires through the same corner hole in the next "bead" and brought both of them out of the opposite corner hole. Place the next bead on and then split the wires back into two and lace through the next corners. I completed one whole side, top and bottom before doing the other side.



Then I continued the same way on the other side.


When I finished both sides and had ample wire remaining, I laced all the wires through to the back. Then I cut 4 more lengths of wire and punched 8 holes on each side in the approximate middle of where the first ones finished. I used 2 of the 4 additional wires on each side. I bent them into a 'u' shape and brought them from behind, to the front, and then back through so they end on the back side. Next I used one of the long pieces of copper and attached it on the back side to some of the copper loops there. To make the necklace part I used an over-under technique and wove the copper.




I braided the ends into a loop and wove the wires back through.



Here's what the back looks like with the wires pulled though and the weaving on the sides. Then I used the same technique as above to weave the other side of the neck piece.


When I wove the side as long as I needed it to be to meet up with the other side, I bent the wires over and twisted them in pairs of 2 making sure to leave a loop on top. Then I cut off the excess wire.




I continued weaving up and over the the wires that I bent. This covered the cut ends nicely.


When I reached the loops I brought the wire over and through the end loop. Then I continued by lacing the wire through all of the loops until there was no more wire strands left and they were all wrapped together.






I cut off the excess and pinched it down with pliers. Then I bent over the end to make it into a hook to go through the clasp loop.



I used barge cement to glue down the corners as well as to attach the second piece of leather, which serves to cover all of the wire lacing and protect my neck from it.

mosaic

I completed my first mosaic this week. It was
 inspired by both my father-in-law and mother-in-law. I am really pleased with the way it came out.

Last week of 2011

The last week of 2011 has been really full and fun. I didn't work too hard on creating many new items, but here are the few that came out.

For a while now my MIL has wanted me to create a beaded flower arrangement for this basket. Somehow I could never get quite excited about it. However, given all of m recent copper wire work, I had an idea to create her a tree made just for the basket. This is my starting armature created with 18 gauge copper wire. My plan is to us thinner gauge wires and either cut faceted glass beads or some kind of semi-precious gemstone. I'll post more pics of that as it progresses.


After Christmas, my SIL and I were talking about ear cuffs. She mentioned that she had been wanting one and so we spent some time looking around online to get ideas and inspiration. Here are the two designs I ended up creating. One for her and one for me.

This week

Here at the Beadtanical Garden this week is shaping up to be busy.

I am excited about finally getting my new copper trees posted and available in my Etsy shop. I have about 6 in there currently and will be continuing to add more.



Also coming up this week I will be at two different events in Denton.

The first event will be First Friday Denton at A Creative Art Studio. Robin Huttash always puts on a great event for first Friday with live music, art demonstrations and snacks. This year first Friday will be happening at the same time Denton's annual Wassail Fest. It should be a great evening to come on down to the square and partake in all of the festivities which include a tree lighting, lots of wassail tasting, kids activities and just general celebrating of the holiday season.



Finally I will be rounding out the week over at the Oxide Gallery for their December show opening reception. Some of my newest jewelry pieces will be featured as a part of this juried exhibition. The catered reception is open to all who wish to attend.

Splashes of color

I've been rekindling my love of working with acrylic paint.

Know thy wine

This past week I have been continuing to work on using up materials I have at home and not buying new. These wine glass charms come out of a project I bought materials for a number of years ago. My Aunt asked me to create a set of wine glass charms for her and of course I got excited about the possibilities and bought a bunch more beads than I needed to complete her one set. So here are some I made. The ones above are made with semi-precious stones and gold glass pearls. The ones below I made using up some small flowers I had lying around. I've got about 5 or 6 sets made now. Hooray for using up materials.

old tin can

Recently I have gone through a transition in my personal artistic expression. I have spent the past decade focused on creating French beaded flowers of all shapes, sizes, colors and combinations and turning them into jewelery and hair accessories and bouquets. While I don't think I will ever give them up completely, I am currently on hiatus having burned out my enthusiasm for them.

Part of the reason for this I believe is linked to always having to use new raw materials to make the flowers. Sure at times I have found vintage seed beads that I couldn't pass up, but when making upwards of 500 pieces for a show there is just no way I can re-use beads and wire to create the flowers. So, that leaves me using newly made glass beads as well as new copper wire. And although my little bit of crafting won't have a huge impact on a copper mining operation, I wanted to take a break from contributing to the use of new resources.

That's a big part of this shift. I wanted to create from something already in existence. I wanted to take something one step further and use it in a way different from its original intention. My initial idea was the tin can lid medallion necklace. I saw this as a way to use somethign that almost always goes into the trash, the lid of the tin can. I also have tons of loose beads around that I'm not able to use in my flowers becasue it would just take me too long to make good use of them. Using bead mosiac I was able to let out the images of trees stored in my head. Each piece is created using a multi-step process and has a natural flow to it changing and rearranging, delighting me in the various textures and patterns the beads create.

Another joy I am getting from my tin can project is painting. Although I began the tin can project thinking about using up extra beads, it has evolved to provide me with a place to paint out the flowers that are in my head. For years I have collected images of thousands of flowers and over that time they have both stayed separated and yet merged together. I am loving the chance to simply take them from my mind and paint them onto something. I have always loved the textures that can be created with acrylic paint as well as the simple action of mixing colors together. Some hybrid pendants have come from the enjoyment I get from painting and mixing in my love of beaded flowers.

As all things do, the tin can project continues to evolve as I let my creative spirit go. The possibilities seem endless as every time I finish with a new set of pieces I see more and more bubbling to the top of my artistic cauldron. You can see the evolutionary process here in this post from bead mosaic on a tin can lid , to beads and paint, to only paint on a hammered tin can. And while in the end my hammered tin can paintings might appeal to nobody but me, I am completely ok with that. I am completely involved in the act of creating art from what would otherwise be trash and I feel calm and satisfied and free while doing it. The process and what I feel while going through it is not really for anyone else, but I am also not keeping it tight inside just for me. I am glad to share. The idea that someone else may find a smile, a moment of joy or beauty in one of my pieces is thrilling.