May 29, 2011

Sunday Theme - Lampwork Beads

Lampworking is a type of glasswork. One of the primary uses for lampworking is to make beads, although in France it is also used to make paperweights. Lampworking uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand movements.

When making beads, the lampworker slowly introduces a glass rod into the flame of the torch. The glass is heated until molten and then wound and shaped around a specially-coated steel mandrel, forming the base bead. The glass bead can then be embellished or decorated using a variety of techniques and materials. All parts of the bead must be kept at similar temperatures until the bead is complete. Once finished the piece must be annealed in an oven to prevent cracking or shattering.

As a jewellery designer I love the chance to design using hand crafted lampwork beads. I'm lucky enough that two of my local beading buddies both make gorgeous beads. The pendant shown above, now sold, was made using a gorgeous bead from Sally of Happily Ever Artist. The necklace just below, my Charoite and Lampwork Gold Wired Necklace, was made using some lovely beads made by Debbie of Debbie Does Beads. Please check out both their sites.


Of course, there are many sources of great lampwork beads out there, check below at the lovely beads I have recently purchased and have a look at the stores I got them from.




May 17, 2011

Fly Away Butterfly - Treasury

'Fly Away Butterfly' by shazzabeth



Yellow Butterfly print-from ...
$15.00

Hand Painted Butterfly Neckl...
$40.00

Tooth Fairy Taffy Butterfly ...
$5.00

Caramel Delight Upcycled Vin...
$26.00

Butterfly Hovering Over A Be...
$21.00

Handpainted silk scarf in or...
$39.00

Wooden Orange and Yellow But...
$8.00

Butterfly Earth Lights - Set...
$24.00

Butterfly of Summer Suncatch...
$22.00

elyse oRiGiNaLs Butterfly Bl...
$239.00

Dream, Awaken (Original)
$75.00

spread your wings - earrings
$15.00

Medium mug with handle - lim...
$24.00

10 BUTTERFLY Crystal Barley ...
$14.95

Real Butterfly Wing - Madaga...
$30.00

Butterflies in Flight Light ...
$35.00

Sapphire Earrings - Blue



A couple of weeks ago I blogged about my first pair earrings using sapphires. The blog post then concentrated on the pink pair of earrings I had made. Well, not its the turn of the blue sapphires.

I teamed the blue sapphires up with sterling silver for a really cool look. These earrings again feature clusters of sapphire briolettes wire wrapped in sterling silver but this time the clusters are set on two jump rings creating a slightly longer earring.

May 11, 2011

Sterling Silver Egyptian Coil Bracelet



I just love using techniques that I know have been used since way back in history, the medieval era for my chainmaille, the viking era for my viking weave (surprise, surprise), but none of the techniques that I use can claim to go back further than the Egyptian Coil. Examples of this technique were found in the ancient royal tombs of Egypt and date back some 3000 years or so.

Originally made in solid gold, the links from this technique were used to make belts and other jewelry accessories, and these links are still popular in jewelry today.

Having previously used this technique to make a bracelet in copper I just had to have another go, this time using sterling silver. I have kept the overall design of the bracelet very simple, merely adjusting the links slightly at either end in order to incorporate a hook and eye style clasp. So there it is, my Sterling Silver Egyptian Coil Bracelet.

May 9, 2011

May Birthstone - Emerald



The birthstone for May is the Emerald. Emeralds are beautiful gemstones with the most radiant and intense green that can be imagined. The name Emerald comes from the Greek "smaragdos" via the Old French "esmeralde", and really just means "green gemstone".

The emerald is the sacred stone of the goddess Venus and was thought to preserve love. It has also long been considered the symbol of hope.

Emerald is the gemstone that is featured in my Emerald and Silver Coil Necklace.


Here is another example of some emerald jewellery:

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Of course, these days emerald is also used to describe a colour - so here are some gorgeous items form the BrisStyle team in the colour emerald:

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