Indigoskye Bead Fashions

I’ve recently published an article on the equipment that I use for hand stamping.  I make many poker tournament champion bracelets and hand stamp the event and year on each one to customize it.  Recently, I’ve wanted to use more intricate stamps to create designs on cuff bracelets and pendants and discovered that my old tool setup was not working as well as I would have wished.  The results of my tool research are in the article.  I hope you’ll stop by and read it if you are into hand stamping jewelry.

JewelryLessons.com: Anvils and Hammers for Hand Stamping in a Small Studio

I’ve been given the go ahead to announce that I will be teaching a coiling wire workshop at Wayley Studios in San Diego sometime in the next few months.  I plan on covering how to use a coiling gizmo, creating tiny coils via knitting needles and several styles of coiled beads that can be produced in this manner.  I will also be teaching how to use mixed metals such as black iron, copper and sterling to create unique projects.  As we get closer to a scheduled time, I will post more details about the workshop and photos of the projects you will be working on.  If you are in the San Diego/Los Angeles area and are interested in attending the workshop, please feel free to email me.  I’ll put you on a mailing list that will keep you up to date on the scheduling information.

This is a 2″ Copper Penannular Brooch or Kilt Pin. It is an ancient design dating back to the middle ages and was used to fasten shawls, tartans and cloaks. My pin is made of heavy gauge copper wire that has been hand forged and textured. A simple copper coil is added to each side to add interest.  This is the first of several I have planned to make over the next week or two, just in time for the Las Vegas Highland Games coming up mid-April.

This sterling silver charm bracelet is in an “Alice in Wonderland” theme. It features handmade glass beads of playing cards, magic mushrooms and an adorable white rabbit. The hand stamped sterling charms read: Your Nothing But A Pack Of Cards -Alice. It measures 8″ in length and is adjustable. It closes with a lobster claw clasp.

I’ve returned from my buying trip in Tucson, AZ with lots of new goodies to be made into jewelry and many tools that will allow me to explore new techniques. Stones include peruvian opal, kyanite, tourmaline, sunstone, rainbow moonstone, assorted beryls, boulder opals and blue lace agate.  I’m planning several new cluster bracelet, earring and pendant sets with the new stones.

I’ve also purchased several new tools that will allow me to expand my inventory to include bangle bracelets, cuff bracelets, neckwires and torcs.  New pendants featuring wirewrapping around stones or corrugated leaves will also be in the works.  As I complete things, I will post photos here to the blog and on my facebook business page.

The tree of life is an ancient celtic symbol that pops up in all forms of celtic arts.  I’ve taken a basic pendant design and ramped it up with additional wire weaving and coiling techniques to create something a bit more unique.  I have ten of these in various forms for sale in my booth, some made of copper wire and others of solid 925 sterling silver.  All the stones are natural and of the highest quality.  The pendants are 1 1/2″ across and approximately 2″ high.  They can accomodate a neckwire or chain up to 3mm in width.  Below are a few examples of the pendants.  One in Rainbow Moonstone, one in Lapis, one in Peridot and one in a sparkly blue topaz.

The last of my spring shows have concluded and I am now home for the next six weeks or so to manufacture new jewelry items for my booth. It has been lovely to have time to enjoy a soda on my garden patio and to play with my dog, not to mention putter in my garden. It is also pleasant to find time to do a few cooking sessions and fill my freezer with wonderful dishes that will keep my family fed in style for the next few months.

My newest purchase for the studio is a jeweler’s bench. It is a used one from a retiring jeweler. It is banged up and needs a bit of sanding, otherwise it is sturdy, of the right height and has a nice pull out catch drawer for silver shavings. I haven’t figured out where to put it yet, but I’m hoping to get it moved into my studio sometime in the next week or so. I’ve also purchased new zippered walls for my booth, a new rolling canopy bag and am shopping for photo lights so that I can set up an area to shoot my jewelry more easily. I am so far behind on photographing my work it isn’t funny.

My Advanced Colored Stones class ended last week. I got an A on my lab final where I had to identify 20 stones and I’m waiting to learn what I scored on the written final. I’m glad that I started back to college last Fall. I’ve learned so much about the jewelry profession and about the raw materials that I work with every day. I have more to share with my customers about stones and it has made me a better buyer now that I’m more aware of stone treatments and where stones come from. There is still much to learn before I can start offering appraisal services to my customers. I’m looking forward to continuing my education.

First off, I’d like to apologize for not keeping up with my blog on this website.  2009 has been a very busy year for me.  As a thoughtful Christmas gift, my husband gave me a new fancy computer and in my efforts to transfer all my software and files, I lost track of the time.  I’m using a new HTML writer to update my website and the learning curve in using it has been interesting.  While I don’t consider myself to be a computer wiz by any means, at least I’m starting to feel comfortable on the net once again.

2009 has seen many changes in my jewelry lines.  I am starting to have a distinct celtic flare to my work as of late due to the number of celtic festivals that I will be attending this year.  The Highland Games have proven to be great fun for me as I sell my unique jewelry and learn more about my scottish roots.  I have new scottish themed jewelry for this year including handmade scottish terrier earrings, celtic crosses and cute sterling bracelets featuring pressed glass celtic beads.

I have also returned to college this past fall.  I am currently studying to gain a certificate in gemology and hope to add jewelry appraisal to my “bag of tricks” that I can offer to my customers.  So far I have taken two semesters in Colored Stones and a class on Pearls.  I hope to take Diamond Grading this coming fall.  Going back to college has been a complete joy for me.  I am meeting many interesting people in the gem trade and learning that there is far more to buying stones than I had imagined.  My new buying skills will result in better quality stones for my jewelry in the upcoming years and I’m very glad for the knowledge that I’ve gained.

I belong to an online marketing group known as the “JETS” which is composed of jewelry artisans that have shops on ETSY.  It has been a fun group to belong to and I’ve learned a lot about how to set up a store on ETSY from them.  If you would like to see the various jewelry that the JETs make, go to ETSY and put JETTEAM into the search engine there.  You will be astounded by all the lovely pretties that show up!

One of the JET artists wanted to do artist profiles of fellow JET members and this is my turn.  Please stop by her blog and leave a comment.

Simply Shiny by Shinyadornments

My tutorial on how to make pom pom earrings has been published on the Jewelry and Beading Blog.  I used to make dozens of these earrings to sell in my booth.  Sadly, I only have a single pair left…the one I saved for myself!

Please stop by and see the tutorial:  Jewelry and Beading