Angels Garden Art Show September 16th, 17th and 18th 2011

What: 16th Annual Angel’s Garden Art Show, a benefit for Favor House of Pensacola,  sponsored by Angels Garden.
Where:  Located in East Hill on the corner of 12th Avenue and Gonzalez in Pensacola, FL (across from the old Sacred Heart Hospital Building)
When: September 16th (4 p.m. to sunset), 17th 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 18th 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It’s been a while since I last posted so I thought I would pop in to share some of my latest creations that you can find at the 16th annual Angels Garden Arts Show this weekend.  I’ve been busy in the studio preparing for the fall show season and I have lots of new treasures to help you prepare for the holiday season ahead.  One thing you will see a lot of in my fall designs is beautiful, natural leather!  I have really enjoyed working in this medium and you’ll be seeing a lot more of it from me in the year ahead.  Here’s my first leather and pearl bracelet, which I call my cowgirl wrist-wrap!

Following that inspiration, more leather and pearl bracelets sprang from my workbench!  It was almost impossible to stop myself!

I became obsessed with the soft, supple leather and the sensual feel of the pearls.  Pearls warm to your own skin temperature as you work with or wear them.  They are absolutely the most sensual of all natural beads.

And still more leather and pearls poured from me as I slaved over my bench in August.  It was a lusty summer.  I procduced simple, no fuss leather and pearl bracelets;

Matching bracelet and earrings sets;

Leather and pearl earrings that did or did not match anything at all!

This was my favorite pair of leather and pearl earrings

I combined leather and pearls with fossils such as ammolite to create a lovely necklace;

And Crinoid fossil too!

I combined leather and pearl with some of my favorite metals, such as beautiful rosy bronze;

But don’t fret!  Wire wrap still remains my first love and I’ve created plenty of new items in my preferred medium as well.  There are hoop earrings;

And dangle earrings;

My favorite earring and cuff design ‘Solitude’ which is always a best seller;

Motivated by my featured artists gallery show entitiled ‘Jazzed: An Artistic Showing of Jewelry I created a few pieces with musical themes;

Beautiful green turquoise and oxidized copper are always a winning combination;

Amazing fiery labradorite herringbone earrings;

I’ve enjoyed experimenting with the ancient viking knit weave, and in this case even stuffed it with beads to match the amazing turquoise focal!  I have to say, it’ looks even better since I antiqued the bronze.

There is so much more than I haven’t even begun to photograph yet!  I have been and will be creating furiously at the bench to create wonderful new treasures to share with you.  Please come out and see me.  You know I am always happy to see a friendly face in the crowd!  Mention this blogpost and get 10% off of any purchase (not good on special BOGO offers).  I hope to see you there!

It’s been a busy couple of months!

The last few weeks have been exhausting!  I have so much to tell that I have a hard time knowing where to start.  Of course no matter how busy I get in order to stay sane I simply have to stop to make jewelry along the way.  It’s my therapy, my ‘me time’, and I am a much kinder and gentler person when I take that time out.  🙂  Recently I have really been having a LOT of fun with Viking Knit.   I took a few pictures to share with you.  If your interested in learning to create your own Viking Knit bracelets, be sure to catch my Workshop in June.

Goldfill with Spiral Seashell and Pearl

Now one in Sterling Silver

Sterling with a Carved Bone Owl

Beautiful Bronze Wire Viking Knit with Chrysophase and Pearl.  I just love the rosy glow that comes from this bronze wire.  It’s so lovely…

Beautiful Bronze with Seashell and Pearl

Not only have I enjoyed playing with Viking Knit, but I’ve also made some of my signature Wire Sampler Bracelets as well.  In the past I have made these exclusively in copper, but decided to venture into other metals.  Here is my first Silver Wire Sampler bracelet.  I chose to keep it shiny rather than oxidize – a departure from the usual for me. 🙂  This piece contains, carved bone, Quartz, Magnesite, Coral, and a beautiful ammonite fossil.

My first Wire Sampler in Gold; carved bone, magnesite, quartz, tiny freshwater pearls, spiral seashell.

And Finally, this lovely little spiral shell sterling silver herringbone bracelet – one of my favorites!  I had to make two of these, one to keep and one to share. ;0)

VIKING KNIT BRACELET JUNE 23rd 1:00
     Look for my viking knit bracelet workshop to come in June.  This workshop will be offered at A Bead and Crystal House (711 West Garden St) on June 23rd @ 1:00.  This is an intermediate to advanced level class.  Cost is $65 plus materials.   If you have the required materials you are welcomed to bring them.  If not, you can purchase them from A Bead and Crystal House on site.  Bring basic hand tools for wire work.   Be prepared for this workshop to run 2 to 3 hours.

I hope you enjoyed my eye candy.   I have lots of great news to share when I get a moment to compose a worthy blog post. 🙂  More later!

Guess who’s Teaching at the University of West Florida?

    I just received notice that my course proposal, Introduction to Wire Wrap Jewelry, was accepted by the University of West Florida.  It’s official.  I’m a *real* instructor.  lol  I think I’ll have a glass of Jay’s homemade wine to celebrate.

More information will be forthcoming.  Classes will not start until May.  Stay tuned for more information.

IMPORTANT UPDATE 4/4/2011
   I recently discovered that I have had a misunderstanding with the Universitys Continuing Education Department. They accepted a single presentation workshop that I will be doing for the Leisure Learning Society in the Continuing Education Department, not the Intro to Wire Wrapped Jewelry – at least not yet! I am still trying to negotiate that course proposal. I will let you know how that pans out.

Metal Etching in Jewlery Workshop March 18th 2011 in Pensacola, FL

Because of the nature of this workshop, many supplies will be included in the cost of the workshop.  All you will need to bring with you is your imagination and basic wire wrap tools (round nose, flush cutters, needle nose) if you have them.   Tools will be available on loan if you do not have them.  If you wish to add beads to your project you are responsible for providing them.

Because materials must be ordered in advance for this project preregistration is required and seats will be limited.  Please R.S.V.P. with your name and contact phone number to Workshops@DeliaStone.com or The Bead and Crystal House at 850-432-3400.

Please note that it is recommended that you wear clothes that you wouldn’t mind if they were soiled beyond repair.  This etchant can cause rust like stains on matieral that will not come out.  While this is not likely to happen if participants are careful, it is possible that accidents might happen and by participating in this workshop you assume all responsibility for any accidents. Delia Stone and the Bead and Crystal House are not liable for any personal injury or ruin of material items.

Tools required: Round nose pliers, needle nose pliers  and clippers.  All materials provided for etching process.  If you choose to use beads in the process of converting your etchings to jewlery you will need to provide them yourself.  A variety of beads are available for purchase on location.

Student Requirements:  This project is suitable for beginners.  No experience necessary.

Learn to etch copper sheet metal to create your own unique designs.  In this workshop you will create a pendant and matching earring set or your own half cuff bracelet as shown.  The design is up to you!  Delia will teach you how to add your design using a resist, etch and then finish a completed piece of jewelry using this fun and easy technique.  This technique is suited to a beginner!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Mountain Gems Jewelry Making Contest

As some of you may recall I blogged in January about entering the Fire Mountain Gems Jewelry Making Contest.  I entered two pieces from my Winged Things series, Marthra and Madame Flutterbye.  Today I received notification in the mail that one of my pieces made it to the finals for round two of judging!  I’m very excited.  I was sure that it would be Marthra that drew the most attention out of my two entries but I was wrong.  She was not selected for the finals.  Madame Flutterbye, however, made it to round two!

So what’s next?  I will send it in to Fire Mountain using the address label provided so that they can examine it in hand and have professional photographs taken.  This means, if I understand correctly, that my beautiful butterfly may appear in full page full color ads inside and on the back cover of jewelry magazines and the Fire Mountain gems catalog.  The national exposure certainly can’t hurt. 🙂  Now I am off to set up at the Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts festival in preparation for this weekend.  I just had to pop in to post a brag before heading out the door!

Art Show: Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts March 12th &13th

The weekend ahead promises glorious weather along the beautiful Emerald Coast which is perfect for the artists participating in the Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts show.  I will be one of the lucky artist out enjoying this lovely weather.  I hope you will come out to join me.  I will be located in booth number 123.

The Festival will be held on the the ground of Gulf Breeze High School on highway 98.  Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

YOJ Wk 7: Gods and Goddesses Freya

     Well I have to say that I am a bit disappointed in myself this past week.  I have been looking forward to the Freya theme for weeks but when it arrived I just could not wrap my mind around it.  My Muse has been MIA for the past week.  Don’t get me wrong , I’ve made plenty of stuff, but really just on auto pilot if you know what I mean.  I haven’t created anything that really excited me … and worse yet I bombed on the one theme I was so excited about.  I made no lovely tributes to Freya. 
     I can share some of the pretties that I did create this week, however, which for someone who was feeling uninspired was pretty productive I think.  You decide.

I made several herringbone bracelets.  I always enjoy making herringbone bracelets.  It’s like a meditation for me.  I have made so many of them I don’t have to even think about it anymore.  My hands stay busy and my mind wanders off into alpha land.  It’s a nice place to be.  🙂

 I have also been enjoying creating this style of textured circle drop earrings lately.  I’ve been trying to create some simple items, such as earrings, that I can wholesale to galleries and boutiques.  These were the first ones I came up with.  I put some of these in the gallery here in Pensacola and they began to move immediately.  I am working to create them in several colors of Swarovski.  This week I added this black pair to the batch.

I also made a sterling silver and garnet filigree cross necklace and added it to a delicate 16 inch chain.  This looks great in person thanks to the LOS patina I added.  I really like the way this turned out

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I also decided to create a cuff-lett to compliment my Solitude Earrings.  I really love this series and plan to make it available for wholesale too.  If you’re just tuning in and you’d like to know why I love this series so much click HERE.  It will tell you a little bit about the meditation that the design came from.

     This cuff bracelet looks really good in hand.  The pictures just really don’t do it justice.

     And last but not least… well, I haven’t made one of these in ages and apparently I’ve gotten a lot better at it!  This fibula eye glass holder turned out to be so lovely.  Very elegant.  You just pin it to your jacket, lapel or blouse and when you are not using your reading glasses just slide the arm through the little loop and you will never have to run to fetch your glasses in the other room again.  You will always have them on you – literally!  This is a wonderful re-discovery for me as I am, for the first time in my life, finding myself dependant on reading glasses for small print and fine details in my jewelry.

    In addition I also created more earrings but haven’t yet made ear wires for them and it seemed a waste of energy to photograph them without the wires … so I’ll save those for my next post. 🙂  Thanks for being a loyal reader.

YOJ Wk 7: Black and White by Delia Stone

Not on theme this week, just following my bliss. I’ve been saying for a while that I needed to make one of these necklaces in basic black, and so I finally did! Nothing too fancy, in fact many of you may notice that I’ve scaled down the filigree work and kept it to a single, simple filigree element at the focal point.

I also finally created a chain for my lovely rainbow labradorite pendant that I netted up a couple of months back.

I also scored a new piece of Eudialyte, not quite as glassy as the last, but I still love the raspberry pink of this stone. I made a simple filgree chain for it as well … I’m thinking, I may have to keep this one for myself. 🙂

Blue Morning Gallery: Krew Kreative Featured Artist Show

Lucky me! I was invited to participate in another featured artist show at Blue Morning Gallery. Yes, many of you may recall that the last show I was featured in was a just last month. I am truly fortunate to be featured two months in a row.

We hung the wall today which signals the beginning of our show. Our reception will be this Saturday, February 19th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. In the spirit of Mardi Gras we will be serving up Red Beans and Rice, Bread Pudding and King Cake! Yum! Please come out to join us if you can. We’d love to see you there!

New Earrings

Lastnight I was fiddling in my wire scraps while watching television with my other half, Jay. My fingers just mindlessly meandered through my wire scrap, doodling here and there. At one point I looked down and found that one of these circles with the pattern of 4 coils, a space, and 4 coils again had resulted from my wire doodling. I liked it so much I decided that I wanted to do something else with it. I had already told myself that I needed to make more earrings for my spring shows so I decided to take it in that direction. I very quickly finished off three pair. One with blue quartz briolettes and Icondolite Swarovski Crystal, one in deep Siam red Swarovski Crystal and one in Topaz and Copper Swarovski beads. I oxidized them all, of course!

You should click on the photo for a detailed view … it makes it easier to see the coiling on the earrings.

I think they are very simple and yet very attractive. Just a few ‘simple’ details really make these earrings for me.