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You want the bad news first? I took a very fun metal clay class with the fabulous Donna Lewis in Tucson many years ago. (It doesn't sound bad at all so far, does it?) One of the pieces I made was a ring, even though we were told we shouldn't make rings because the shrinkage factor made it too...
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Greetings from Sausalito! As my husband and I drive through northern California for some teaching and a "working vacation," I give a lot of thought to the metalsmithing class I'm teaching. I suppose the most asked question is, "How do you come up with your ideas for jewelry?"...
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We were riding back home from breakfast in the mountains on Mother's Day earlier this week when I heard my brother whisper to our mom, "Mama, why does she have a little thing of Play-Doh in her purse?" Whenever he wants gum or something, I usually don't think twice about sending my...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
TammyJones
on
17 May 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: resin, jewelry design, metal clay, metalsmithing, jewelry making, polymer clay, polymer clay jewelry, clay jewelry, mixed media jewelry, jewelry artist, epoxy clay, Wire Jewelry Making, Jewelry Making Techniques, Etching
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The Center for Metal Arts is announcing the opening of the Second Annual Charles Lewton-Brain Foldform Competition. The deadline for entries is July 1, 2013. This year the competition is using an online submission form to streamline the process. Visit http://tinyurl.com/d6xbu8b for entry details. 2012...
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Chasing and repoussé are tied with gem cutting at the top of my techniques-to-learn wish list. I can't think of any other jewelry-making or metalsmithing technique that can create so many unique designs on metal or one that creates such an impressive effect--all made using techniques that...
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I often forget that hammers can do so much more than flatten metal and wire; I forget that they can move metal the other way, to literally create height, depth, curves and recesses where there were none. When used in a particular way, hammers can create three-dimensional metal shapes that look like they're...
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Whether it's jewelry making, beading, quilting, knitting, or some other hobby--or even housekeeping--one good tip is enough to make your day and change your world. Friday is Jewelry Making Daily's third birthday (whee!), and here are the 11 most memorable and helpful wire jewelry-making tips...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
TammyJones
on
1 May 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: chain maille, jewelry design, silver jewelry making, metalsmithing, jewelry making, gemstones, lampwork, jewelry tools, Wire Jewelry Making, Earring Making, Jewelry Making Techniques, Jewelry Supplies
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I may not know chain maille, but I know who knows chain maille! Enjoy this pretty summery project from Charlene Anderson, a chain-maille jewelry expert who was the 2010 artist of the year for Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry magazine. Isle of Capri Embellished Barrel Weave Necklace and Earrings by Charlene...
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I like how JMD member PrettyWearJewelry repeated the wire coil from the ear wire as a design element on her Swarovski Wild Heart Dangle Earrings . Even being an old-fashioned girl, I sometimes forget about the basics that make the world go 'round. So any chance I get to remind and reacquaint myself...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
TammyJones
on
17 Apr 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: chain maille, jewelry design, alternative metals, metalsmithing, jewelry making, stone cutting, jewelry tools, jewelry artist, Wire Jewelry Making, Earring Making, Jewelry Supplies
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How Do I Wub Thee? Let Me Count the Ways I am the first to admit when I'm wrong about something, and God knows I'm not perfect or always right. So, about three or four years ago at Bead Fest, while showing a student how to make a bail for a pendant, I said, "Let me borrow your pliers."...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
Lexi Erickson
on
15 Apr 2013
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Filed under: resin, jewelry design, stone setting, metalsmithing, soldering, jewelry making, jewelry tools, lapidary, Jewelry Making Techniques, Jewelry Supplies, Etching, Metal Stamping
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Anytime I get a chance to share a stone-cutting or jewelry-making project by Roger Halas, I take it! He's a man of many talents and frequently shares them in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. This stone-cutting project is great for the lucky folks who know (or are learning) how to cut gems...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
TammyJones
on
12 Apr 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: resin, jewelry design, stone setting, metalsmithing, jewelry making, stone cutting, jewelry tools, jewelry artist, lapidary, Jewelry Supplies, Etching, Stone Polishing
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I always like things that are just as pretty on the back as on the front. I know of several professional jewelry designers who put a secret design or tiny gemstone on their pieces as a special little hidden gift for the wearer alone to know about. Nunn Design's pendant bezels and ring bezels (on...
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Sterling silver has always been my favorite metal to wear, collect, and work with, and like many of you, my fingers are crossed for the day it becomes affordable again (if that ever happens). Meanwhile, I get my little joys from finding a $10 sterling silver fork or cup in an antique store that has been...
Posted to
Jewelry Making Daily
by
TammyJones
on
5 Apr 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: jewelry design, alternative metals, stone setting, silver jewelry making, metalsmithing, soldering, jewelry making, gemstones, stone cutting, jewelry tools, jewelry artist, lapidary, Jewelry Making Techniques, Jewelry Supplies
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It's funny how our interests change. Each time I sit down to write to you on a particular topic, I think back about what we've discussed about it before, and I find more and more that I am liking techniques I didn't like in the past! Take color and metal, for example. I used to be a purist...
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The ideals behind the Arts & Crafts movement have appealed to me for some time, being that I use little or no electricity in my work. I like the feel of the metal and the file in my hands as I file excess metal and the high polish that the burnisher leaves along the edges of a piece. People tell...