a wrapturous blog

YOJ10-15 Knotted Earrings 3

Knotted Earrings 3 (2010)
Sterling silver, fine silver, tourmaline
Constructed, cold-joined
L 3.7 cm x W 0.5 cm (W 1.45″ x L 0.2″)

Continuing on from last week, since I made several of the Monkey’s Fist knots, I made another pair of earrings!

I’ve been doing some experimenting with photography lately, putting my pieces on a white background instead of the medium gray.  I’m looking for ways to make the images “pop” more – in my recent work I’ve been using a lot of stones that have the same value as the background, and it makes the jewellery look dull.  “Value” in colour terms refers to how light or dark it is.  (To see check the value of your stone, stare at the photo with squinted eyes – if the stone disappears it has the same value as the background.)  In order for a photo to have visual interest, it has to be either lighter or darker than the background, otherwise the eyes see what’s there, but the brain registers “ho hum”.

It’s a bit more work to deal with a white background – inevitably, and even though I have a white balance setting on my camera – the raw photo comes out slightly grey.  Photoshop can adjust the balance it easily, but then I usually still have to do some extra clean up.  It’s a bit tricky to lighten the background enough to get rid of “noise” but not so much that the jewellery bleaches out.

From a print perspective, (putting on my editor hat for a moment), getting photos with white background is a godsend for layout.  I can plunk them down anywhere on a page and build text around them.  Or I can crop and put several images close together – something that isn’t possible when the jewellery is shot on a grey or staged background.   There are no distractions – you look at the jewellery and nothing else.

While they work for print and web, white backgrounds do *not* work well for jury photos.  I had the opportunity to sit in on a jury for a show recently (something I highly recommend BTW, it’s very educational), and I noticed that the photos with white backgrounds were always very jarring.  Backgrounds with a value of medium to dark (but not black) and *absolutely no props* worked best for jury photos.  Prop shots work well for Etsy, but are distracting in jury.

More photos:

Tags: bead, bridal, cold connections, cold joining, constructed, dianne karg baron, earring, earrings, etsy, fine silver, green, jewellery, jewelry, macrame, photography, silver, sterling silver, tourmaline, wire, wire jewellery, wire jewelry, wirework, wireworking, Year of Jewelry Project

YOJ10-09 Felt & Crochet Bead Necklace

Felt & Crochet Bead Necklace (2010)
Fine silver, merino wool, Beadalon stringing material, crimp beads
Crochet, felted, assembled
L 47.31 cm x 17 mm (largest bead)

I mentioned in my Week 6 post that I was making felted beads, and now I can share the results of that effort.  Initially I was going to pair the felted beads with the crochet beads just as I’d made them, in fine silver white.  Then it occurred to me that over time, the silver is going to tarnish, and the necklace will be difficult to clean without taking it apart.

The solution was to add LOS to the silver.

Liver of sulphur stinks to high heaven, but it creates such interesting effects, especially when a bit of salt is added into the solution!  I love how the colours change, and in this case, how they became mottled in the purple-blue range.

A friend of mine asked me to produce a bunch of pieces for her to use in the fall for a fashion show, so this is going to be one of the things I send her.  It’s not my typical style, but it will work well with the clothing being shown.

More photos:

Tags: 2010, bead, constructed, dianne karg baron, felted, fine silver, liver of sulphur, LOS, merino wool, necklace, patination, recycled, wire, wirework, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ10-08 Celtic Spiral Smoky Quartz Earrings

Celtic Spiral Smoky Quartz Earrings (2010)
Sterling silver, smoky quartz
Constructed, cold-joined
L 3.4 cm x W 0.65 cm

I love the quartz family of stones.  They’re durable and affordable, which makes them great for everyday jewellery. They come in a wide variety of colours, which makes them really versatile.

Since I’m still trying to catch up, I decided to go rummaging through my components box and pull together some bits to make this pair of earrings.  Earlier in the year I took apart a bunch of old jewellery that hadn’t sold.  I saved the pieces, because they were well made, and, quite frankly, if I can save a few minutes by using a recycled pair of earwires rather than making up new ones, why not?

Anyways, the celtic spiral I used here was once part of a bracelet.  Now they make a nice pair of earrings.

Tags: 2010, celtic, constructed, dianne karg baron, earrings, fine silver, quartz, recycled, silver, smoky, spiral, wire, wirework, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ10-07 Crochet Ball Pendant

Crochet Ball Pendant (2010)
Fine silver
Constructed, crochet, liver of sulphur patination
L 3.9 cm x W 2.0 cm

The other day, while commiserating with my friend Margaret about our work loads and not seeming to be able to stop to catch a breath, she quoted back to me a comment that I’d deadpanned into one of our conversations once:

“Breathing is just sooo overrated…”

This week, I told her that I think that would make a perfect epitaph for my headstone.  That laid both of us flat with laughter.

I shouldn’t complain, because it’s self-inflicted:  I’ve taken on too many projects to try to deal with at once.  As a result, I’m struggling to do anything as effectively as I’d like.  My DH is currently working a rotating shift schedule, 4 – 12 hour days then 4 – 12 nights, which is also wreaking havoc on my regular routine.

As a result, I’m off the rails on the YOJ project.  I so want to be producing quality work, but I seem to only have time for the barest minimum, and even that seems mediocre!

In an effort to catch up, I’m going to just put together a couple of very quick pieces.  I found these little crochet balls while cleaning up the studio a week or two ago.  I made them several years ago, but the project they were intended for didn’t really work out.  I applied LOS to some of the balls, and they are being used in the project that will be posted next.  These two were left over, so I put them together to make a little pendant.

Tags: 2010, constructed, crochet, dianne karg baron, fine silver, liver of suphur, LOS, patination, pendant, silver, wire, wirework, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ10-05 A New Home for Whoville

A New Home For Whoville (2010)
Fine silver, copper, garnet
Constructed, cold-joined
Size 7

I’ve fallen behind with my YOJ postings due to a bout of creative block.  I keep picking up the wire and the pliers in an effort to make something, and end up with nothing but frustration and a pile of scrap.  Earlier this week I joked on Twitter that I was tempted to solve the problem by piling up my scrap, adding fire and Presto! A brooch!

One of my Job Jar jobs this week was to “Organize beads and materials in the studio”.  Translated, that means “Clean up the mess!”  So I started sorting through a drawer where I’d dumped a bunch of finished and half finished pieces.  Some went into a “for packaging” box, some into a “for salvage” box, and some went into the scrap bin.

Amongst the half finished pieces were a bunch of crochet balls I’d made two years ago.  I thought it might be interesting to set one as a bead in a ring.  Since I was just experimenting, I didn’t want to use silver, so I hauled out the copper wire to make the ring shank.

Once the bead was mounted, it occurred to me that it looked a lot like the little puff ball in “Horton Hears A Who” by Dr. Seuss.  So, I added a little garnet bead to represent the Who’s world.

More photos:

Tags: 2010, constructed, copper, creative block, dianne karg baron, Dr. Seuss, fine silver, garnet, Horton Hears A Who, ring, silver, Whoville, wire, wirework, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ10-03 Marquise Series: Pendant 8

Marquise Series:  Pendant 8 (2010)
Sterling silver, fine silver, tourmaline
Constructed, cold-joined, woven
L 5.0 cm x W 2.25 cm x D 1.0 cm

One of my new year’s resolutions was to start using a Job Jar.  My family and friends, who know me very well, know that I’m hopeless about housework.  I think it was Erma Bombeck who said “Nature can’t abhor a vacuum as much as I do.”  That kind of sums up my attitude nicely.

However, I do live with three other (messy) people, so some token effort to maintain order must be made.  So… enter the Job Jar.  I wrote all the various chores on the little slips of paper, and included some fun things, and every day I pick one out of the jar.  The choice is completely random, although I like to think of it as leaving it up to God/the Universe to pick the task that is right for me on any particular day.  Some days I have more energy than others, and interestingly enough, each task so far has been perfect for the day it was chosen.  I do my Job Jar job early in the day, and then the rest of the day is mine to do as I please.

The net result of doing my housework this way is that I’m being much more productive with my jewellery making as well.  So, I feel good because my house is slowly getting cleaner, and I’m getting to work guilt-free on something I love every day.  Bonus!

The studio gremlins paid a me a visit this week and stole this piece for a few hours.  I noticed it was missing after my husband had done a sweep through the house collecting detritus to put out in the garbage on Monday night.  He tends to be somewhat brisk and indiscriminate when he does this.  A frantic search turned up nothing, and I was resigned to it having disappeared into the mass of trash.  On Tuesday, my job from the Jar was “Clean the livingroom.”  It was like a bunch of angels were standing around saying “We want to help you”.  LOL

So, I set to work, cleaning, sweeping and reorganizing the room.  When I picked up and moved one of the toy boxes, lo and behold, there was the pendant!  With a quick prayer of thanks, I put it in a safe location, where I knew I’d find it again.

Like the previous pieces in the series, the pendant is formed using a marquise shape.  When I was first shaped the wire, I thought the pendant looked like a moth.  The form evoked a very strong Art Nouveau influence.  As I added the weaving and the beads, the moth form persisted, and I noticed that the pendant was starting to look like Rainbow Wrapping.

Originally, I was going to hang the pendant the other way around, from the point.  It reminded me of the Star Trek logo.  I didn’t like how the tourmaline drop looked hanging from the long tail though – it threw off the balance.  So the drop was moved to the point, and the tail became the hanging point.

While photographing the piece today, I started seeing the form of an elephant face.   How cool!  I don’t remember ever seeing so many different influences in one piece.

What do you see?  Let me know!

More photos:

Tags: 2010, art nouveau, cold-joined, constructed, dianne karg baron, elephant, fine silver, green, jewellery, marquise, moth, ooak, pendant, rainbow wrap, silver, star trek, sterling silver, tourmaline, wire, wirework, woven, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ10-02 Marquise Series: Bead Cap 1

Marquise Series: Bead Cap 1 (2010)
Sterling silver, fine silver
Constructed, cold-joined, woven
L 2.7 cm x W 2.6 cm

Last week’s project was about going beyond a simple marquise shape to a compound shape.  This week, I’m going a step further and moving into working in 3D.

The original germ for this piece was a project I made in 2003 as a Secret Santa gift.  The Cathedral Egg Pendant was made of two pieces, connected with bead links.  Cathedral Egg was inspired by a piece, called “Gluttony”, which I had made for the “Heavenly Virtues/Deadly Sins” exhibition presented by Object Design Gallery the same year.

The ladder weaving here was very time consuming to do, but the effect is so nice!

I think this really needs to grace a fabulous lampwork bead by some superbly talented artist.  The problem I’m finding is that I need a big bead:  the base of this bead cap is almost (2.5 cm (1 inch) across.  So, I’m on the hunt for something appropriate.  It still needs to go into the tumbler to shine it up, but I wanted to get it posted.

Other views:

Tags: 2010, bead cap, cold-joined, constructed, dianne karg baron, fine silver, marquise, silver, sterling silver, wire, wirework, year of jewelry, yoj

YOJ09-51 Marquise Series: Pendant 5

Marquise Series:  Pendant 5 (2009)
Sterling silver, fine silver, Swarovski crystal
Constructed, cold-joined, nalbinding
L 6.5 cm x W 1.3 cm

This pendant is made of two “recycled” pieces from Bracelet 3, which didn’t match the other links.  Initially I only added the Swarovskis as embellishment, but the pendant looked unbalanced.  So I decided to add some viking knitting – nalbinding – and create a ribbon-like effect.  The work involved in adding the nalbinding bumps this up from production piece to a “couture” One of a Kind or Limited Edition.

I’m not completely satisfied with how it turned out, but I’m also not able to define what is bothering me about it.   It might just be that it doesn’t work as a pendant.  The design would certainly make a fabulous pair of earrings.  Comments are welcome!

Tags: bead, cold connections, cold joining, constructed, dianne karg baron, fine silver, jewellery, jewelry, marquise, nalbinding, pendant, ribbon, silver, sterling silver, Swarovski, viking knit, viking knitting, wire, wire jewellery, wire jewelry, wirework, Year of Jewelry Project

YOJ09-50 Marquise Series: Bracelet 3

Marquise Series: Bracelet 3 (2009)
Sterling silver, copper, fine silver
Constructed, cold-joined
L 16.8 cm x W 1.1 cm

For this piece, I took the idea developed in Week 48 and extended it to a bracelet.  The design looks simple, yet it surprised me how much work was involved in adding the copper beads.

I like the bi-metal toning – it’s a nice effect, and would really sparkle on tanned, warm toned or dark skin.

Like the project in Week 45, I alternated the links in mirror image; however, the alternating pattern sets up an issue for sizing.  I noticed it with the Week 45 bracelet as well, but because it’s all one metal it’s not as obvious.   With this bracelet, because there are two metals, it becomes clear that there can’t be an odd number of links: it throws off the pattern.  This design will fit either a very small wrist (like this bracelet does), or a very large wrist.  On my wrist, which is a little thinner than standard, but not small, the bracelet fits comfortably with room to move easily, but I generally like to wear my bracelets loose so that they jingle.

The design would look stunning with the Swarovskis I used in Week 48, but adding them will also add to the price of the finished piece.  If you’re interested in a Swarovski version, please email me for a quote.

Tags: bead, bracelet, cold connections, cold joining, cold worked, constructed, copper, dianne karg baron, fine silver, jewellery, jewelry making, marquise, silver, sterling silver, wire, wire jewellery, wire jewelry, wirework, wireworking, Year of Jewelry Project

YOJ09-48 Marquise Series: Pendant 3

Marquise Pendant:  Pendant 3 (2009)
Sterling silver, fine silver, Swarovski crystal
Constructed, cold-joined
L3.5 cm x W 1.6 cm

Lots of playing going on!  I love the sparkle of Swarovskis, so I added a thin row of crystals to this next pendant in the series.  I love the classic “sweetheart” look that resulted!

Tags: cold connections, cold joining, cold worked, constructed, dianne karg baron, fine silver, jewellery, jewelry, jewelry making, marquise, pattern, silver, sterling silver, wire, wire jewellery, wire jewelry, wirework, wireworking, Year of Jewelry Project