Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Inspiration never ends....

The other day I invited a friend to my studio to give her a  tutorial on making soldered glass slide charms.  I'm working on Day of the Dead inspired jewelry using charms.  We talked about her Pinterest board of her jewelry ideas.  She showed me this piece....  I loved it!

DiPiazza Metalworks - via Pinterest

I have a huge collection of beads and wire.  So not try to make some earrings using this as my inspiration??

I used brass #18 wire as the base of the earrings.  I used three flat glass beads to start the wrapping.

I used brass #22 wire to wrap my beads.  Second row is metal beads.


Third row are neat glass rondelle beads.  I've had these beads for a long time and they worked perfectly with the color combination here.


Here are the are the finished earrings, I did some minor soldering and added a dark patina to  them.  I love love love them!  I think my next pair I will keep the base wire longer to give me me options on how to finish the earrings and add a earring wire.  It wasn't as easy as you would think.  I appreciate the talent of the artist who inspired me.


Here's another pair of earrings using the wrapped wire technique.  I used brass #18 wire flattened  and soldered.   I used #22 brass wire to wrap a variety of my beads. I also added more solder to these. I really like the white faceted beads.  You would think they were heavy but they're awesome on.


Tried my hand on some beaded hoops.  I haven't tried wire wrapped style but this is another way to get the beaded look.  Again, I used brass #18 wire as the base.  Metal beads and turquoise colored  round beads.




Yet, another set of earrings. 



Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Retreats with sister friends!

A friend who lives up north in the mountains invited us up to for a retreat.  It was so much fun.  We planned a few projects, ate some yummie food, and had great conversations.


Deb, Penny and me

This was our view!
I have a personalized travel journal I made awhile ago and I was asked to teach them how to make their own.  Penny had her father's leather jacket to use for the journal covers.  What a great idea!

Penny's Dad's jacket

Cutting into the jacket was hard but what a cool idea to use it for the journal covers.

Once we had the covers cut we have to made the booklets that fit in the inside of the cover.  We used graph paper, lined paper, and blank paper for the pages and scrapbook paper for the covers.  Once the covers and pages are cut to size and lined up we punch holes and sew the bindings.  




The booklets came out so cool!  Booklets are used for a daily planner using the bullet style of journaling, for any type of lists, quotes, sketchings, calendar.  I use them for a daily planner, list of books, list of ideas, health tracker, blank notebook to jot stuff in, I also made pockets to hold business cards, postage stamps, prayer cards and receipts.  I added a ruler and nice binding clips.  Also you must have your most favorite pens.


The booklets are added to the leather cover in the traditional Traveler's Notebook style using elastic bands.  Most times four booklets work well.  



Next was to embellish them with pockets, sticky notes and neat paper clips.


My journal is the brown leather one and their journal books came out so perfect!  

In addition, I designed a password & website book that I've been using for years.  Both got one from me.  Only thing for them to do is design the covers.



Penny gave us this Flying Wish Paper.  It was so cool.  You crinkle it up, smooth it out and make a standing cylinder.  Make a wish, burn the cylinder and take the ashes outside and let them fly away into the wind. 






We plan to continue our retreats despite our busy schedules.  There's something to be said  about sharing special time, space and energy with good hearted women.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Monday thoughts...

I go to antique stores, thrift stores and vintage shops all the time.  I take photos of things all the time for mainly for ideas.   I usually don't buy stuff until I know I have a specific spot for it in my house.  My house is not big and everything seems to have a place.   So I would have to move things around or get rid of something to make room for something new.   I'm in the middle of redoing most of our living space.  I like old things and plan to use my stash of collected antique and vintage items throughout the house now.  I've had most stored in my garage...lol.

I have a number of vintage quilt tops in my collection and I thought this would be a cool way to to use them.  I also have a few pieces my Mom has given me.  I think I even have a few holiday quilt color tops.

I love this wooden cubby shelf unit.  I think I can make one.  

One thing you always see at any shop is kitchen ware...tons of that shit.

Not sure why I didn't buy these springs!  I used them for christmas decor last year.

I love wooden boxes, tool boxes, any wooden box.

I don't normally look at jewelry because there's so much of it and I have no patience.  But recently I my sister showed me some cool stuff at very reasonable prices.  I got two rings for less that $5!  Way cool.  So from now on I'm gonna take the time to rummage through it.


This was an interesting piece, the drawers had wood fronts and metal sides.  

 Thrifting and antiquing is one of most favorite things to do!  

Monday, July 4, 2016

Another shop...

CHESTER'S ANTIQUES HOME & GARDEN 
LEXINGTON, NEBRASKA



We were told about this shop off the Lexington I-80 exit.  It's on the south side frontage road going heading east.  It was closed by the time we got there, so of course we had to return!  

Lots of cool things!

All kinds of outdoor rustic things



Mr Pin didn't come on this road trip but I found his cousin

Another Mr Pin cousin!


 Once again. if you find yourself traveling along I-80 and come near the Lexington, Nebraska  exit, take it and check out this cool shop.  I know you'll find some a ton of things you'd have to have!

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

On the road ..... another shop to check out


Nebraska Farmhouse Antiques & Coffee House - Arnold, NE

Last year we stumble in to this antique shop and have been back a number of times. 
It's full of many cool antiques and vintage things. In addition, there's coffee.  


Kimberly Beshaler, owner



Each time we go we find the coolest things.  This trip was all about jewelry pieces.  One regret was I didn't have any of my pieces to show her in person.  We checked out my Facebook JOBI page and she was interested in seeing more and maybe even selling some of my pieces in her shop.  
Again, if you're in the area you must stop in!

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

I love this shop!



Soulful Salvage   -   Grant, Nebraska

Lisa, me, Becky & Monica



Last year while traveling around with my sisters we stopped in a small town ...
Grant, Nebraska.  Here we found the coolest shop.  Four women friends who are all creative in their own way.  They began their adventure by hosting a open shop one weekend with all their collectables and creative items.  It was such a success they did it another weekend and another weekend and then decided to purchase the building.  Now you can check out their crazy fun and such cool thing shop.  I had so much fun seeing them.  I will be making a stop there every time I'm in the area. 

I found a perfect old ledger and vintage camera!  The ledger is from a local cattle sale barn...awesome!




Dance studio fundraiser.

A friend of mine is having a fundraiser for a bellydance studio that was recently robbed.  She asked for donations to be auctioned.  I'm sending over two pieces a simple glass soldered bellydancing charm and a metal charm "DANCE"  on the outside and "with me" in the inside.  I wish her luck with her fundraiser!