Sunday, January 30, 2011
J & J Design Inspiration: Aloha!
J & J Design Inspiration: Aloha!: "I promised a photo of the gown I made for my granddaughter and here it is. I had to wait for my daughter to send the photo and then scan it ..."
Aloha!
I promised a photo of the gown I made for my granddaughter and here it is. I had to wait for my daughter to send the photo and then scan it in order to post it.
I realize it's a bit long. Not a bad fit for being over 5,000 miles away though! Plus she was bare footed for the play. If you remember she was in A Midsummer's Night Dream. I hope to give her sewing lessons when I visit.
Here's the bride gown for my other grandkid. It was a Halloween costume. No that's not an orange purse, hehe.
Now, for my recent jewelry creations:
With Valentine's Day in mind, I used red crystals paired with gray Swarovski pearls for these earrings. They dangle from gold-filled ear wires. To keep the cost down I used Beadalon German wire. This is the first time I have used this product.
Beadalon German wire has copper and brass core with an anti-tarnish coating. I used the gold color with these designs. It looks pretty good in the finished design. I found working with it very easy. It is a bit soft and doesn't work harden very well. I tapped it with my nylon hammer and it became a bit harder.
I would like to hear from anyone out there if they use this in their designs. I have used the 7/19/49 strand wire with crimp beads. Does anyone have any opinions about the German wire? If so I would love to hear from you.
This is a wrapped loop bracelet and earrings made with the wire.
My husband and I made a light box to photograph our jewelry. I will post more about that challenge next time!
Mahalo!
Jozee
I realize it's a bit long. Not a bad fit for being over 5,000 miles away though! Plus she was bare footed for the play. If you remember she was in A Midsummer's Night Dream. I hope to give her sewing lessons when I visit.
************************************************************
Now, for my recent jewelry creations:
With Valentine's Day in mind, I used red crystals paired with gray Swarovski pearls for these earrings. They dangle from gold-filled ear wires. To keep the cost down I used Beadalon German wire. This is the first time I have used this product.
Beadalon German wire has copper and brass core with an anti-tarnish coating. I used the gold color with these designs. It looks pretty good in the finished design. I found working with it very easy. It is a bit soft and doesn't work harden very well. I tapped it with my nylon hammer and it became a bit harder.
I would like to hear from anyone out there if they use this in their designs. I have used the 7/19/49 strand wire with crimp beads. Does anyone have any opinions about the German wire? If so I would love to hear from you.
This is a wrapped loop bracelet and earrings made with the wire.
 | ||
| Dangle earrings |
 | |||
| Hoops |
My husband and I made a light box to photograph our jewelry. I will post more about that challenge next time!
Mahalo!
Jozee
Monday, January 3, 2011
January Contest - Give Away!
Do you ever intend to do something and once you start you realize it is taking a path of its own? That happens to me all the time. I sit at my workbench in my studio with everything before me to make something. Then it happens. I don't make what I had intended to make. It changes.
Sometimes I feel the design creates itself. It's as if the crystals, pearls, and stones speak to me. I don't know any other way to explain it. The design I had intended is changed and reworked. I have always been intuitive. Once would think that would help with jewelry design.
To enter J&J Designs' January Give-Away you must leave a comment about your inspiration, your muse, or your design process. John tells me all the time I'm his muse. No darling, you can not enter the contest.
The winner of this month's contest will receive one of my best selling Steampunk tile pendants:
We will post the winner in February.
Mahalo!
Jozee
Sometimes I feel the design creates itself. It's as if the crystals, pearls, and stones speak to me. I don't know any other way to explain it. The design I had intended is changed and reworked. I have always been intuitive. Once would think that would help with jewelry design.
To enter J&J Designs' January Give-Away you must leave a comment about your inspiration, your muse, or your design process. John tells me all the time I'm his muse. No darling, you can not enter the contest.
The winner of this month's contest will receive one of my best selling Steampunk tile pendants:
We will post the winner in February.
Mahalo!
Jozee
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a great holiday! Is everyone ready for the New Year? Does anyone have resolutions to share? I want to find balance in my life. I will work on that everyday. That means I must schedule "me time". My caring, nurturing, instinct goes wacky and I tend to neglect myself. Anyone have that problem?
I promised pictures of my latest creations. Here are the bangle bracelets that I made in soldering class. We also drilled the holes in the beads bigger so they move around the bangle.
One has a huge faceted quartz bead and for the other I chose two smaller jade beads. The photo came out kinda funny but it isn't easy photographing jewelry! My hubby plans to build a light box for me to use.
Here is another bracelet I made in fusing class a while back. It has an apatite bead. I wear it a lot so I didn't want a bunch of beads hanging from it.
The linked bracelet is fine silver. You can not fuse with sterling. I like fusing as it is easier than soldering. I plan to practice soldering so that I can become more familiar with working with sterling. John and I plan on taking a workshop in June. I will let you know more about it in another post.
The wifey has finally given me something to sell. He has been busy with other projects (my Christmas gift). Here, by popular demand, what you have all been waiting for; ta da, earrings by John:
I like the blue and copper together.
Aloha! Hope to hear from you.
I promised pictures of my latest creations. Here are the bangle bracelets that I made in soldering class. We also drilled the holes in the beads bigger so they move around the bangle.
One has a huge faceted quartz bead and for the other I chose two smaller jade beads. The photo came out kinda funny but it isn't easy photographing jewelry! My hubby plans to build a light box for me to use.
Here is another bracelet I made in fusing class a while back. It has an apatite bead. I wear it a lot so I didn't want a bunch of beads hanging from it.
The linked bracelet is fine silver. You can not fuse with sterling. I like fusing as it is easier than soldering. I plan to practice soldering so that I can become more familiar with working with sterling. John and I plan on taking a workshop in June. I will let you know more about it in another post.
The wifey has finally given me something to sell. He has been busy with other projects (my Christmas gift). Here, by popular demand, what you have all been waiting for; ta da, earrings by John:
I like the blue and copper together.
Aloha! Hope to hear from you.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
It's starting to look a lot like Christmas!
Ho Ho Ho,
Yippee, I got my laptop back! Now that I've been on the desktop in the studio for weeks I'm not sure if I'll be switching back. All my stuff is gone anyway. Well it's on a hard drive; on top of the workstation in the studio. I use an office chair and slide from my workstation to my computer. Wee!
Anyway I've been busy creating but am a little disappointed that sales are not what I had hoped for when I started out in June. That's when I lost my job and decided to get back into jewelry making.
At this point I am thinking of incorporating more sewing into the business as I've always done well with sewing. The only drawback is, as I have mentioned before, is space. Sewing takes up a lot of space! Especially if you sew window coverings and home decor stuff. Yikes! We are still recovering from sewing the two gowns for my granddaughters. I'm still pulling thread out of the vacuum!
What to do? Well I have taken more classes. John and I went to soldering class and I took another one to make bangles. It was really cool. We used a drill to enlarge holes in beads. It's another level of knowledge I can use. It's different using the torch and drill press from beading with wire and beads. Well, different muscles anyway! Holding onto those beads so they don't go flying and knock someone out was challenging.
I will post photos when I get a chance to take them. Busy with the turkey day and all that.
I must also mention I was surprised no one participated in the pendant give-away. I promise not to sell any one's address, ha ha. So, guess we will have to do another one. I will post the details soon. Don't be shy, leave comments, follow me. Which brings to mind a patch I sewed onto my favorite jeans back in the day...Don't follow me; I'm lost too!
Mahalo,
Jozee
My new pendants are old school tattoo designs. No I didn't do the art! But kewl, dontcha think? I know, I drive my granddaughter nuts. She calls me the crazy grandma! hahaha I'm not crazy, girls just wanna have fun!
My Bonanza Booth: http://www.bonanza.com/booths/J_J_Designs
Yippee, I got my laptop back! Now that I've been on the desktop in the studio for weeks I'm not sure if I'll be switching back. All my stuff is gone anyway. Well it's on a hard drive; on top of the workstation in the studio. I use an office chair and slide from my workstation to my computer. Wee!
Anyway I've been busy creating but am a little disappointed that sales are not what I had hoped for when I started out in June. That's when I lost my job and decided to get back into jewelry making.
At this point I am thinking of incorporating more sewing into the business as I've always done well with sewing. The only drawback is, as I have mentioned before, is space. Sewing takes up a lot of space! Especially if you sew window coverings and home decor stuff. Yikes! We are still recovering from sewing the two gowns for my granddaughters. I'm still pulling thread out of the vacuum!
What to do? Well I have taken more classes. John and I went to soldering class and I took another one to make bangles. It was really cool. We used a drill to enlarge holes in beads. It's another level of knowledge I can use. It's different using the torch and drill press from beading with wire and beads. Well, different muscles anyway! Holding onto those beads so they don't go flying and knock someone out was challenging.
I will post photos when I get a chance to take them. Busy with the turkey day and all that.
I must also mention I was surprised no one participated in the pendant give-away. I promise not to sell any one's address, ha ha. So, guess we will have to do another one. I will post the details soon. Don't be shy, leave comments, follow me. Which brings to mind a patch I sewed onto my favorite jeans back in the day...Don't follow me; I'm lost too!
Mahalo,
Jozee
My Bonanza Booth: http://www.bonanza.com/booths/J_J_Designs
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Being creative
My angel earrings are made. How many different ways can you make an angel earring? Ha ha! I made one that looks like she has hair. I also made regular ones. Tell me what you think.
I was pondering doing a tutorial for my drawstring jewelry pouches. Just in case I took lots of pics. The fabric is the backdrop for the photo above. Wondering if anyone would like to make their own bags?
Anyway I not only made Maddy's Halloween costume, I also made a gown for my older granddaughter. She's in A Midsummer's Night Dream as Helena at school. After the horror show I had working with real bridal satin and chiffon for the bride dress I made Maddy, I swore I wouldn't go that route again. After all, it's only a school play, right?
Wrong! OCD kicked in and I got the color she wanted, lilac and it was what I believe is called damask. Satin with a flower sort of embroidered into the fabric.
Here's a pic I took when I started cutting:
I'll post more later. You get the idea. Just me being creative.
Holla back if you want to know how to make one of these:
Have a great week!
I was pondering doing a tutorial for my drawstring jewelry pouches. Just in case I took lots of pics. The fabric is the backdrop for the photo above. Wondering if anyone would like to make their own bags?
Anyway I not only made Maddy's Halloween costume, I also made a gown for my older granddaughter. She's in A Midsummer's Night Dream as Helena at school. After the horror show I had working with real bridal satin and chiffon for the bride dress I made Maddy, I swore I wouldn't go that route again. After all, it's only a school play, right?
Wrong! OCD kicked in and I got the color she wanted, lilac and it was what I believe is called damask. Satin with a flower sort of embroidered into the fabric.
Here's a pic I took when I started cutting:
I'll post more later. You get the idea. Just me being creative.
Holla back if you want to know how to make one of these:
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