Week 10: For Clemens: The Four Elements

I have a friend that has been very important to me for the last couple of months. He was Barend's best friend and we support each other in our grief. I don't think I would have made it through these past months as good as I'm doing now without him. So I wanted to make something really special for him.

His lucky number is 4. He has a tattoo on his arm that looks like a 4 one way round and if you look at it the other way round it is the Chinese word for Strength. When I started thinking about what I wanted to make for him I immediately thought of the four elements. I did some research and found that the earliest form of the Celtic cross is a circle with a + in it. The four spokes represent the four elements.

While I was thinking about how to make this into a piece of jewelry a male could wear (I always have problems designing for men) I saw one of Iza's crosses for the first time and I just knew what I wanted to make. So when I found Iza's new tutorial I bought it and went to work right away (thanks so much Iza!). I adapted the design so it would just have one bead in the middle. I also made the spokes the same size so it looks more like the symbol for the 4 elements. And I made the little ball ends with my torch. The piece is a combination of Fine Silver and SS. The bead in the middle is a faceted round Amethyst. The Amethyst also has a special meaning to Clemens. I hung it from a simple leather cord.

I worked on it without stopping yesterday and finished just in time so I could give it to Clemens last night. And he loved it. I just had time to make a quick scan of it because he didn't want to leave it with me :). Comments are of course always welcome!

Week 9: Leaf pendant

I made this pendant trying to give it many different textures. Some of them using the basket making technique's I learned. I'm totally liking that and am going to make more pieces using that technique. And I learn each time I make something. I now would have done some things different making this pendant to give it an neater look. All Sterling Silver with Green Quartz (which shows you why you shouldn't dip the piece in LOS with clear stones!).

Week 8: Simple Woven Cabochon Pendant

I never seem to be able to follow the themes. But at least I'm on time for this week. I'm kinda proud of this one. I made it using Robbie's new tutorial: The Simple Woven Cabochon Pendant It was my first try and I have not much experience with wrapping cabochons. I was always to intimidated to try so I made very few and none that I actually liked. I think I'm going to make more of this one using different cabs :). And I like to thank Magda for transforming my totally ordinary picture into something special. The sea and seashells are very special for me since they remind me of my dear Barend. I'm trying to honor him by expending my horizon and trying new things. I'm sure he would love this piece.

Week 7 Large pendant.

This was a real learning experiment for me. I got the idea to make this from a beautiful ornament Robbie sent me. Seeing it up close and in person made me dare to try and make this pendant (with her permission of course!). I have been saving the large faceted Fluorite bead for myself and when I saw Robbie's ornament I knew what to do with it. The piece is made in SS and Fine silver (oxidized) and the beads are Fluorite. I already have some ideas how to do things differently next time so the weaving will be neater and more even.

Week 6: Swirly Pearls

I made these from Robbie's first book Mastering the Basics of Wire Jewelry. I added the coiling round the base and the pearls. I'm not totally happy with these so they are going to stay in my collection. But I'm definately going to try another pair.

Week 5 Elegant earrings

Well at least I hope they are elegant. I have to make some pieces to show at a local shop to see if they will sell my jewelry. They have to be inexpensive but classy too. The inspiration for these came from my little wire basket. Made with SS wire and CZ's. I think I'm going to oxidize this one. I love the yellow with the black silver.

Week 4: Late, not on theme and not even Jewelry.

Some of you might have seen the thread on the forum where I was talking about searching my own style. I got some great advice and one of them was to start playing with wire. So that is what I did. I did some research into old crafts and I made a basket out of ugly green garden wire. I showed the picture to Robbie and she wanted it. Of course I made her a new one with silver colored wire. I love doing these baskets and I learn a lot from making them and they do inspire me.

Week 3 Earrings to match

Simple earrings to match the pendant from week 2. I did do some netting at the top later because I thought they where a little to simple but I didn't have the time to scan them again. My friends mom loved her gifts so that made me happy too :).

Week 2 Simple pendant

I'm trying to catch up. I have a special piece I want to post for week 1 because it does fit the theme for me in so many ways but I have to wait until it's finally at it's destination (yes the Postal system here has been screwing up badly also) . So here is my post for week 2. It's a pendant I made for the mother of a friend of mine. She requested a simple netted pendant with a mossy green color. I really hope she likes it. I think this pendant is actually Moss Agate but I'm not sure. The bezel is all done in fine silver.

Oops forgot. Of course I learned this great technique from Eni!

Week 1 I can do this!

I have waited posting these earrings until they arrived at Iza's doorstep. I didn't want to ruin the surprise for her. I really wanted these to be my entry for week one because they represented the theme "I can do this!" in so many ways. I started making these earrings at the end of December as an extra SS gift for Iza. I was soooo nervous making something for her! So I can make something for Iza was what I was thinking LOL.
Then Barend passed away on the 28th of December and my whole world turned upside down. Finishing these earrings in the first week of 2008 was hard. I didn't even want to make any jewelry. But then I realized through my friends at the forum that my jewelry could be my distraction and even be a way of expressing my feelings after this loss. So I can do this! I can get through these hard times with the help of my family and friends. And can honour Barend at the same time by making jewelry and make him proud (he was my biggest fan!). The earrings where made with GF and Fine silver wire and facetted Citrine rondelles.

Week 52 Simple netted pendant

I made this pendant for a aquintence of a friend who is going through a heard time. Somebody gave her this Amethyst freeform cab and she wanted to wear it but had no idea how (no holes in there). So my friend told her about me and I met her and offered to make a pendant out of it. She was so happy with it. It made me just as happy giving it and seeing her happy face and how she showed it to everybody the ere. She even made me a card all by herself and she never does anything creative and that was so moving. The Cab. has the word Wisdom carved on one side and has a engraved Coil on the other side. That is way I decided to keep the bezel simpel and used Eni's tutorial.

Week 51 Perri's earrings

I made these earrings specially for Perri without even knowing she was my SS :). I'm glad she liked them. They are made with faceted Rhodolite Pink Garnet and Fine silver.

Week 50 Citrine ring

I know the year is over. But it felt really bad for me not to finish the last quarter. I did make jewelry just didn't get a change to post them So I decided to wait untill the winner was announced and still post the last work of the year for me. This is a ring made with Fine Silver and Citrine that I made with Iza's tutorial that I simplified a bit.

Week 49 Another one????

You might think I'm posting the same ring twice but it is actually a different one. I so loved the design and the colors of the first one I wanted one that actually fitted me. I have combined Eni's and Iza's newest ring tutorials in this one. The top is from Iza and the shank from Eni. It does fit me now but I still have some problems I need to solve to have the ring sit comfortably. Now the wrapping sort of get in the way between my fingers.