Bead Table Wednesday - Chains!

Hello dear friends,

As some of you may know, I have been making chains lately. I started off making an oval copper chain for practice and financial consideration... copper is a mere fraction of the cost of sterling silver as I am sure you know.

However, I decided to "bite the bullet"and make something from sterling silver wire.

The first silver chain I made is a simple Trace Chain made with 16gauge (1.2mm) round wire. I am not entirely happy with it as I found some of the shaping a little difficult... some of the links are not as parallel as I would like... but it is a first for me and I guess I should not be so hard on myself!

It is soldered, filed and sanded and now awaits polishing. ( "honey, where is that tumbler!!")

I have now started on a second chain and decided to go with a Figure-Eight loop chain. This is a simple shape found in most wire books. The difference in making this particular figure eight loop, is that the wire end is first filed into the shape below, so that when you make the first small end loop, the wire sits neatly in the groove you have filed away and when you consequently solder that end loop, it makes for a neater finish.

This is how the filed wire ends look after filing that tiny groove. That did take a little practice to get right.

Here are my first soldered figure eight loops...( also made with 16 gauge (1.25mm round wire) Three passes of soldering was done on each link... the end loops and two in the centre. These figure eight loops will eventually have a small circular ring soldered to each end as well...  only10 more Figure eight links to make, 27 small rings plus 12 connector rings and clasp... well I have made a start!

This is the look of the finished chain. ( This picture is taken from the book below)

This is the book I have been learning from... "Making Silver Chains" by  Glen F. Waszek.

I must say I am enjoying the process of chain making so far which is quite a surprise to me. It is repetitious... it is a little "production line"... but I find I get in my little green shed, turn on the music and time just disappears. It has taken me my whole life... but I think I have finally developed patience!

Today I am linking up to Bead Table Wednesday... a  Flickr group started by our host Heather from Humblebeads. Head on over for a look.. it is always inspirational!

Until next time,

Cheers,

Sunday I Heart macro

Hello friends,

Every week I say this... where has the week gone!!

I noticed this in my garden this week and thought I would show you... isn't it a beauty... some type of seed pod from a leafy plant I have growing in the garden... I call it "Elephant Ears" because of the size and shape of the leaves, but I am pretty sure that is not a real name! Does anyone know it's real name?

Unusual, isn't it!?

The Persimmon tree is laden with fruit and the birds have been having a field day.... I love the look of the tree and fruit but just cannot like the astringent aftertaste the fruit leaves in my mouth.

This was one of the exercises we did at my drawing class this last week. We had to draw this face without taking pen from paper. Not only that, we had to draw it upside down! That certainly tested my brain!

Interestingly, it seemed a little easier to do the drawing upside down than right way up.... something to do with your brain distinguishing shapes as opposed to the face in it's entirety. It was good to turn it the right way round and see that it did actually resemble a face! Quite a surprise.

This was the second exercise.. we had to copy a picture and  give it shading and depth purely using 'squiggles'... done in sections as we progressed with the picture... once again another exercise for both brain and hand.... so hard not to draw an outline first.... I was surprised some in the class could not manage this concept at all. It certainly is harder to create in a different way than usual... more fun, though!

And the last item I have been still working on this week, is this soldered silver chain. I finally finished shaping and soldering the links and the clasp. Now to tidy it up with sanding and polishing... the labour intensive bit!

As usual on a Sunday, I am linking up to I Heart Macro for those who like to see the world close up!

Head on over to Lori's for a look.

Until next time,

I Heart Macro - Pretty in Pink.

Hello dear friends,

Thanks for still visiting me these last weeks...I have had a bit of the "Blog Blues"... just not knowing what to write and feeling like I haven't a lot to say etc...and hence keeping away.

I go through stages like that sometimes... however, today is another day... and I am joining up with our lovely host Lori.. over at Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro."
This is for those who love to take up close and macro photos... please join me over there and check it out!. Click on the photo below to take you straight there.

Here are a few contributions from me.

It's that time of year.. for these beauties... pink Cyclamen.

A collection of little pink 'flags'

A sweet bud nestled in the centre.

Love the striations when you get up close and the flare of gorgeous bright pink. 

And just for fun, here is a mystery photo. Can you guess what it is?

I would also like to welcome my new followers... thank you for joining me. I promise I will lift my game!!

That's it for me today, folks!

Have a great day, whatever you do..

I Heart macro - A Display.

Hello dear friends,

Well, I am really late getting my Sunday post out, today.

My favourite camera I usually use has gone overseas... and I procrastinated somewhat about posting with no new photos from today... so here are a few photos from a few weeks ago. All sorted!

This is a little collection on my side table. The little basket is made from lavender stalks, the eggs are ceramic and sit in a wire nest.

Up closer.

Closer again!

 Same photo but changed by using a  painted effect from Instagram...I love this!

I am linking up to "I Heart Macro" over at Lori's place... head on over for some photographic up close and macro sharing.

Click on the above photo logo and it will take you straight there.

Have a good weekend,

Jenni

BTW... A Mixed Bag!

Hello friends,

Today I am linking in to Bead Table Wednesday... the name speaks for itself, I think.
Here are a few things on my table today and also  some of what I have been working on during the week...

Clasps, and soldering are the two main things on the work table this week.

 Here is the chain I started on last week. All it needs is a bit of a clean up and a clasp. I also managed to solder on some little rings to the larger ones...still working out if I will use them for earrings or backless bezels... nice to have a choice.

Stacked clasp (from an online course with Deryn Mentock) using my handmade head pins and glass beads, resin paper and a dash of sari silk. These were a practice really, will have to do them again using a sturdier wire for the loop.

And to add to the mix, I made some resin paper this week and experimented a little with backless bezels...these have ground cumin added to the resin and sesame seeds. I had a great idea to put the sesame seeds in a pattern...gave up quickly on that idea...must look for a larger - seed option!

Please head on over to the Flickr group and check out all the other beady Wednesday photos. If you wish to join up, it is easy and free. It's a great source of inspiration... and a lot of fun, too!

Hope you are having a fab Wednesday,

I Heart Macro - Felt Flowers

Hello dear friends,

Another week has come and gone...this is happening way too quickly lately! Truly, I just don't know where it goes lately...so much to do and so little time!

As you may have read last last week, I have been trying out a little embroidery... remembering those long forgotten skills from my teen years.

I was going to start embroidering some sweet birds... however I changed my mind and decided to practice using some felt flower bases instead. I purchased these from a knitting shop in Hobart while I was in Tasmania on a bead making course and they have been sitting tucked away in a brown paper bag waiting their turn to shine.. or at least to come together.

They are originally from Nepal... handmade by local women.

First one.. blanket stitch on the edge and some chain stitch. ( This photo was enhanced using Instagram...another fun thing to occupy my time!)

 This one has a freeier  look... I deliberately made the stitching different sizes...truly! I wanted to do French Knots... however they kept disappearing in to the felt, so these rather untidy looking knots are ones you put on a thread to hide at the back of sewing..except on the front!

Two flowers...

and many more to go... !

To complete them, I will back them with material and attach a clasp so they can be used for a lapel brooch.

Today I am linking up to I Heart Macro... head on over to look at photos up close and macro. Mine are 'up close" this week as my little camera with it's macro setting has gone overseas with a daughter..I feel a little lost without it!

Well that's it for today folks...

Cheers,

Blog love and Revisiting Forgotten Skills.

Hello friends,

I have always been a 'dabbler'. Throughout my life I have tried lots of craft... patchwork, sewing, knitting in small amounts etc. I just like to try new things. Most things I can be quite o.k at...but really, I am master of none! And that is fine with me, too.

Recently I have been exploring blogs that offer a variety of craft and artistic expression. One of the ones I am in awe and in love with at the moment is Geninnes's Art Blog. She is painter and specialises in sweet, colourful and quirky bird paintings. As a bird lover from way back, it has a lot of appeal to me for this reason.
Multi-talented, Geninne also embroiders, paints rocks and takes amazing photos around her home in Mexico.
On her blog, she offers a free bird embroidery pattern, so when some embroidery cottons were gifted my way just recently, I thought I would give it a go.

While rummaging through my craft supplies, I came across a needle holder that was mine when I was in High School.... Grade 2A to be precise... I was 14! Sorry.. I am not going to divulge how long ago that was! I did love all that we were taught in our Sewing classes... including embroidery. Unfortunately any samples from that period are long gone.

This is my school needle holder - it was old when I first was given it.  I love the poem.

Starting with the basics again...back stitch.

Head on over to Geninne's Art Blog for the full pattern.

Today I am linking up with our host, Lori at Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro. This is a Sunday post for those who love up-close and Macro photography... head on over and take a look at lots of great up close photos.

Bye for now,

From My Work Table

Hello dear friends,

Sorry for my long absence! It has been way too long!

As mentioned in My previous post, I have been participating in an on-line course with jewellery designer, Deryn Mentock.

Here are some of the clasps I have made from this wonderful class. Deryn is a great teacher and a talented artist....her work is beautiful...lots of semiprecious stones and wire work. Love her style!

 A small fraction of the ones I have made.

I love the colour of the hammered and patinated, bronze single - ball clasp. And copper is always beautiful to me.

These silver ones are tiny, great for more delicate jewellery.

This needs more practice! Everything looks great and bad when on a macro setting!!

Silver hook and eye.

Now back to my work table I go!

Cheers,