Sweet clasps have arrived!

Hello dear friends,

Thought I would show you a photo or two of the darling little clasps I purchased from Jo at Daisychain Jewellery.

Jo is located in Southhampton, United Kingdom... so these little babies have flown half way around the world to land in my hot little hands! It is always so exciting to receive something so delightful and from another country as well!

Thankyou Jo, I adore them and will be putting them to good use very soon.

A little copper oak leaf and daisy clasp and a sterling silver leaf clasp.

A closeup of the textured and patinaed copper daisy clasp. Love the daisy centre, too.

The three clasps with some yet, unfinished soldered copper oval links. ( mine). Macro setting on my camera really shows up the silver solder on these links. ( as well as the hair!) In real life it is not quite as obvious as this.... back to the sanding paper to refine these a little.

Jo has also got some sweet birds and butterfly clasps, poppies and toggles in her shop to name a few, so check it out! I had a difficult time choosing.. they are all so gorgeous!

Bye for now,

Bead Table Wednesday - 2nd November - Fun with Copper

Hello dear readers,

This is what is on my beading table at the moment...excuse the fluff and debris in these photos!
I have been working on wire working basics the last couple of weeks and this week have been brave enough to try and make a few metal components from copper tubing...it has a been fun..I have even done a little soldering on the big bead...originally I had caps on the end of this larger bead but I just couldn't get it to sit right..so decided to solder some flattened jump rings to the ends of the tube...you can see the solder..I am not very practised in this technique at all!
It is amazing how long these little things take to complete...I have been at it most of the day!

I still need to put these in Liver of Sulphur and then polish them up. The corrugated beads are brass.

The two beads on the left are copper tubing hammered with a ball pain hammer for additional texture.

The long one with beads was originally a round copper cut-off, hammered in to a flatter shape. The dangles are very fine tubing that the Italians use to build their glass beads on (They then soak them in acid to remove the copper) This was VERY tricky to cut..using normal cutters flattened and closed the hole...eventually used a little saw to cut it.

I have had a lot of fun making these elements...still have a way to go...they are a bit rough! Today I am linking up to Bead Table wednesday...please click on the Btw log on my blog side bar to take you to the public flickr site for lots of beady fun.

Cheers,

Jenni

Bead Table Wednesday - The basics!

Hello dear readers,

As some of you might know, I am participating in an on-line jewelry making run by Deryn Mentock. It is called "The Build Zone - solid foundations in mixed media jewellery." I am enjoying myself immensely and have been practising a little most days since I started.

Like many courses, it starts with the basics and that is what I have been working on all week. So, needless to say that is what is on my bead table this Wednesday.

Copper hooks, love the cherry red ends. These have had Liver of Sulphur treatment

Copper S- links

Twisted jump rings

Some basics ( carnelian beads)

More copper clasps and connectors.

The growing pile.

 Briolette wrap with chalcedony -  I am finding these very difficult to get neat. ( 24 gauge copper wire.)

And that's it for me today folks,

Enjoy your day.