Autumnal Flora Necklace

I found these great brass filigree flowers and had to have me a few. The center is a forest-green chrysoprase rondelle. The weight of the stone was causing the flower to hang downward even if I had a device (wire or such) running up the back. It's little technical problems like this that occupy the other side of my brain. I love working through solutions that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Riveting the flower to a copper leaf-shape let the piece sit correctly and retained the floral image. I call it Autumnal Flora (clever, I know!) and it's available in my Etsy shop.

New Necklaces

I've recently listed several new necklaces. I'd made these over the summer and was tabling with them. Since they didn't sell, I've listed them in my Etsy shop.

On the upper right is Rose Candy. Iridescent-pink, Czech pressed glass make up this asymmetrical necklace.

To the left is Autumn Leaf Necklace a heat-patinaed copper leaf-shape.

And, finally, Sunburst Necklace. A fluted vintage Lucite bead is the center of the sterling silver sun shape.

Bake-A-Lite Beauties

I've recently been making an effort to go through the jewelry supplies I already have in the house. I thought they were cool when I bought them and it's time to start making stuff with them. A while ago, I bought these vintage Bake-a-lite cubes. They are sort of big, a bit more than an inch square, and I just knew cool jewelry was waiting to happen with them. I was right. Here is the first piece I've made with them. It was a piece that designed itself as I went along. I had a vague idea when I set out, but it veered and swerved and said no, go this way. I'm very happy with the way it's turned out. I love the combination of industrial and suit of armor, with a skoach of art deco. The brushed back oxidation gives it a great antiqued look. I also have these cubes in a tealy blue and a gold brown tan. Many new ideas are brewing.

Everyday Loops

Years ago, I had a very simple pair of small hoop earrings that I wore all the time. Like 24/7. Sleeping, showering, whatever, they could be left in, so I always had earrings on even when I wasn't thinking about it. The other day I was digging through my earrings looking for a pair that met those criteria: simple, sturdy, hooked closed, plain but with a smidge of style. Sort of a fancy earwire. Couldn't find anything that I wanted, so I made some*. This is what I've come up with. I call them Everyday Loops (and they are, of course, available in my Etsy shop). I'm big and I have lots of hair, I wanted something bigger than the old pair I used to wear so they had some presence on me. I've also made a smaller pair for those that like it like that. I'll have pictures of the smaller ones in my shop soon.

*I love that I can do that!

Rainfall Necklace

I love the bold graphic of this new piece, Rainfall Necklace. It's simple and modern, but has a distinctly tribal feel also. The contrast in materials of the hard sterling and soft leather cord adds another dynamic that really brings this together for me. I guess I'm just really fixated on circles and should just come to accept this about myself!

This was another jewelry design that appeared to me fully formed that I was able to translate into metal. Lots of my ideas don't necessarily work out when I try to fabricate them and, literally, end up on the scrap heap.

I did discover something funny and potentially dangerous when working with tubing: when you apply fire to the piece after quenching the piece or pickling it, the water left in the tube quickly (in seconds) becomes steam and shoots out the ends. Scared the poop out of me the first time it happened! This necklace is currently available in my Etsy shop.

Posties - Round

Should I admit that these earrings were inspired by a towel rack I saw in a catalog? There, I just have. I definitely think this design will evolve as I make more of them. I also have ideas for other versions of these. I don't make very many post style earrings, I think, because I personally prefer dangly things, but I like how the design comes right out of the earring hole but isn't static like some other post earrings. The hoop can move around in the post. Also, it this particular design, some of the earlobe becomes part of the earring design, peeking through. I call them Posties (clever huh?) and they are available in my Etsy shop.

Transfix Sprout Ring

The latest in an occasional series of rings called Transfix because they are all designed around one side piercing the other. The new one, Transfix Sprout, is very graceful and fluid. I've been told it's really a heart even though *I* think it looks like a leaf and sprout. The other two Transfix rings are below.
These rings are fun to create and I really enjoy the organic feel of the finished design. The new one is made of a little heavier gauge wire than the last couple and also stands much taller. I'm a tall person, I guess I like making tall rings! Each ring requires quite a bit of work in tapering the one end, annealing over and over and hammering and filing, polishing, etc. Although they are one-of-a-kind, it's not to say I won't be making others really similar to the ones that exist.

Man Ring

My first real foray into men's jewelry. I have, in the past made a pendant (on the right), that was based on a more feminine version I was selling, as a custom order. And I recently made leeettle earrings for a male friend. But up to now, nothing in my Etsy shop specifically for men.
So I took it easy on myself and went for the clean, simple band, called Man Ring. Very heavy gauge sterling, hammered square and left with some of the hammering for texture. (Shhhh, I actually have something similar for myself) Although I think it's very masculine, a woman could just as well wear it. Bright and strong - just how I like my men!

Hardware Store/Supply Store

So I had to go to the hardware store for a couple of things and, being a sucker for hardware stuff, I spent some time wandering around. I found these thingees - I honestly don't know what they are "supposed" to be for - and thought I could make some jewelry out of them. Took them home and started to play with them. They are steel and lightweight and have all those wonderful holes in them. Lots of possibilities. Of course the first thing I did was blast one with the torch to see what would happen (me loves my fire!). I LOVE the rusty patina that came out of it. Pair them with some contrasting sterling earwires and BAMMO! groovy, slightly steampunky earrings. There are so many other things that will be made from these. I love when jewelry making is so fun and spontaneous. I call these new ones Riddle Earrings (Rust) and they are available in my Etsy shop.

Custom Lana Hoops

I was asked to make a pair of my Lana Hoops a little different than I have them listed. This customer wanted them longer , oxidized and she wanted 14k gold earwires. On my suggestion, I tumbled the oxidized hoops to a wonderful gun-metal gray. I think it works really well with the gold. I love making custom orders and it's fun sometimes to see what ideas others come up with that (I hope) I can make real. It's also fun to see a "gee I love these earrings but would love them better if they did this..." idea. My customer was really pleased and that makes me happy too.

Primavera Posy Necklace

I find something really sweet about this new necklace I call Primavera Posy. It's kinda got that 60s mod thing going, I like the verigation in the "leaf" beads, it's simple and charming. I'm trying a new clasp system of two hooks instead of a hook and eye.
The wire I used is originally square and I flattened it out a bit. I like how the amethyst bead in the center adds a 3-D element to that flatness. Another ready-for-spring-now please-get-just-a-bit-warmer piece of jewelry available in my Etsy shop.

Curow Earrings

Curow Earrings are another example of jewelry designing on the fly (and one of the things I like about jewelry making). These started out as a very clear picture of what I wanted to do, but several of the elements didn't work out - the hinge, for example, needed to be modified to function and hang how I wanted. They originally began as hoops. For me they didn't have the right look and so I altered them to hang, changed up the earwire and oxidized them. I'm pleased with what did eventually result. I may attempt something similar, but this pair is a one-of-a-kind and now available in my Etsy shop.

Comet Tail Necklace

The links in this chain necklace are based on the links in my Cipher Necklace. Cut short on one side, I solder on an open ring. The ring is fed through the drilled hole in the "tail" of the next link and then the ring is soldered shut.


Filed clean, then hand polished, the whole thing is then tumbled to a bright shine. I thought they looked like leeetle individual comets chasing each other's tails, that's why I call it Comet Tail Necklace. It's my new love and is available for sale in my Etsy shop.

Leah Curly Glass

Sometimes in the search for ways to broaden our art, we run up against the barrier of not having the skill or tools to see our vision out. This is where collaborating with another artist comes in. They can bring their own ideas and methods to the table, expanding your original ideas.

When I moved to Portland, I started attending the PDX Etsy Street Team weekly teatimes where I first met Leah Pellegrini. Leah makes beautiful fused glass mobiles, and some of them had lampwork on them. I had started selling little glass puddle earrings that were created with the stained glass foil method. Leah and I began talking about her creating smaller fused glass circles with lampwork on them and I would make them into wearable pieces. Our collaboration was born. I sort of jokingly call it Leah Curly Glass.

Of course, for collaborations to succeed, they need to mesh working styles, time schedules, and such, and require a bit of communication to make sure what works for one is working for the other. While we are still working out some of the "this works, this doesn't", we are both pretty excited about how it's going. Leah has posted more about it on her blog, The Garden of Leah, too. I think I'm lucky as my partner in my first artistic collaboration is pretty laid back and is letting me explore my idea while creating these necklaces. A couple of the finished items are for sale in Leah's Etsy shop. I'll write more about the process of creating these wearable works of art in the future.

Lana Hoops

A slightly modern take on the classic hoop. The Lana Hoops are created from heavier gauge sterling that's been hammered back and front so it tapers down. The hinged earwire hooks in the back. The ball of the earwire has been left patinaed (from the heat forming) giving it a bit of an antiqued look that contrasts nicely with the shine of the rest of the earring.

These started by my looking at ways to make different types of earwires. They aren't the original thing that came to my head (I haven't made those yet...), but as I sat staring into space - often the way I come up with designs - these are what I drew on the paper in front of me. They are, of course, available in my Etsy shop.

Calla Earrings

Sweet little lilies with a deep red garnet, I call them Calla Earrings. The lily leaf is raw brass which enhances the garnets and contasts well with the heat oxidized sterling. They are something sort of different for me: little, cute, more delicate than I usually make. Did I say they were little? I guess because I'm a big person, I tend to make bigger jewelry. I make things I like and feel that little things get lost on me and particularly in my hair. Needless to say, I'm not a delicate person. A little exercise in stepping out of my comfort zone a bit? They are now for sale in my Etsy shop.

In other news, I have begun an artistic collaboration with Leah Pellegrini (a fellow PDX Etsy street team member and Etsy seller) making jewelry of some of her glass pieces. I'm pretty excited about it. I'll be posting pictures as soon as there is something to share. She's written more about it in her blog and has posted a picture of the glass puddles we'll be using.

Taper Earrings

New earring design! I call them Taper and there are (probably) different versions to come. I love the simple elegance. They go with everything from jeans to that little black dress. Now available in my Etsy shop.

Jewelry: Evolution or Intelligent Design?

Jewelry design ideas are a funny thing. Sometimes they develop from sitting with materials and playing with them until they gradually start taking shape. Sometimes they come to me basically fully formed; concept, materials, color, etc. All at once in a flash. It could be from something I've heard or seen or just out of the blue. Most of the time, these ideas still need to be futzed with to make them work both aesthetically and practically. Recently, I've been working on one of those 'out of the blue' ideas and thought I'd (semi)document the process. This is a necklace I'm currently calling Cascade.

Here is the cut sheet sterling. It's been polished a bit. The holes for the jump rings have been measured, marked and drilled. As part of this concept is about movement, I felt that a bit of an arc in the sheet would work well here. In the photo on the right, I've cut a bunch of jumprings and I'm cleaning them up, making sure the edges meet well and they have a good, round circlosity. The jumprings are then placed in the holes and I cut the lengths of chain. The original chain I picked for this necklace didn't work for me, so I went with this great rectangular cable chain. The shape of the links reflects and echoes the larger rectangular piece. My compositional eye tends to like echoing shapes. Below you see the jumprings in place and the chain strung in them. On the right, the whole piece has been fluxed and is ready for me to solder the tiny rings. Behind the piece on the solder block you can see the leeeettle pieces of cut solder.

So, I'm not quite done with Cascade yet. Here at Curly Girl Glass, we reserve the right to change any jewelry piece we are working on right up to the time it is photographed, so there is still time for me to change several design elements! Check back soon to see the finished piece shown off. Same bat time, same bat station.

Wiren't you a Star?

Sometimes I really enjoy the simplicity of wire earrings. Both the making and the wearing. These are my new Good Morning Star Shine earrings. Made of heavier (18 gauge) sterling wire and strategically soldered to keep their shape, they are big enough to make a statement, but really lightweight. When creating a design like this, I love figuring out how to fabricate them so the shape works, can be easily put on, is comfortable, etc. I have other wire earwire earrings in my shop too, but these are the new ones.