Monday, September 7, 2015

Flighty Necklaces

My workbench has been seeing lots of activity as I prepare for the upcoming
presented by
Due to the impact of the Papal Visit on local/regional transportation, the location of the fair has been shifted from State Street in Media to the lovely downtown area of Swarthmore.
As I sit in the midst of what I hope will be the final heat wave of the year, it's hard to believe that I'm also preparing for the upcoming holiday season.
Inventory for one of the seasonal sales has to be delivered next month.
Aaaaaccckkkk!
 
The previous necklaces that I made featuring roll printed cicada wings appeared to be warmly received,
so it was time to make more.
Wings went through my rolling mill, sandwiched between pieces of annealed copper.
After cutting, filing and sanding, the copper wings were riveted with sterling wire to bases of etched brass and silver nickel.
Holes were drilled for attaching my tornado wire wrapping connectors, allowing me to turn the wings into fanciful pendants.
All wings are now hanging from long chains, ready to be tagged.
Ooooops....
I kind of got in the zone while wire wrapping the ends of my chains, joining the clasps and connectors and forgot to put one of the wings on.
Doh!
Easy fix...
I cut the chain in two places, slipped on the wing, and reconnected the parts with wire wrapped, faceted amazonite beads.
 

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Workbench Equation

Recently made sterling links
PLUS
recently made bezel set labradorite charms
EQUALS....
 
new sterling/labradorite bracelet.
My typical tornado wrapping of sterling wire joins the components.
Also typical....
keeping the back interesting with and etched disc riveted to the back of my labradorite charm.
This bracelet just came off my workbench this morning and I'm giving it a test drive.
Verdict?
It's very lightweight, it captures the light nicely, it's fluid enough to move freely on my wrist....
 
I LOVE IT!!!