EMJC-PR7.3 - "Inspiration from the Met"

This week's challenge was fantastic. Though the idea for the piece I created was something I've been planning on doing for years now, I used this week as an excuse to actually make it! I had a little more time than usual to play around with it, so I decided now was the time.

When I was in college I made several bra/bustier pieces and am really inspired by full chest ornamentation. There isn't an easy market for it, so I haven't done much in the past few years, I was glad for the chance to do something super fun!

I was really please with how it turned out, but there are some things that I would like to work on more, time wasn't allowing it this week! Guess that's how it is on the show, always something more you could do!

My inspiration piece from the Met:
created by the Cadora Jewels Corp - there's no real information about it.... but it was the first piece I saw when I typed in jewelry and I knew that was it!


My piece, all argentium sterling silver, all fused, no solder! Handmade chain and large organic vine "cups":

more earrings, more photographs

still working on some new photos... not so sure about the gray anymore. I chatted w/ a friend about the gray paper and we were talking about how flat and hard it looked, which doesn't really go well w/ my work.

so i went searching for some gray fabric that might be nice. but i didn't really find any that i loved. this was the best of the okay.... i took a whole bunch of photos this morning b/c i wanted to get some new things listed in case anyone wants to buy a little something to win my gift certificate give away. but I have a feeling i will be rephotographing them all, at least for the thumbnail.

I'm not a fan of seeing the texture of threads/fibers in fabric. basically I want some sort of fabric where you don't see any texture, but that looks like a soft gray cloud. i like the white b/c it doesn't look like paper. Another gray fabric I found was a soft woven suede sort of stuff - but in a photograph it looked like fur! I think in some ways the macro lens works against me in that it really captures the texture of everything that is in focus. Good for the jewelry, bad for whatever backdrops I seem to be coming up with.

So I'll keep looking. If you know of something soft and gray without any texture, let me know! :) You can check out these earrings here.

EMJC-PR6.8 - Wedding Challenge

So this week was a little interesting for me since pretty much all I do is make wedding rings, and some other wedding jewelry every once in awhile - so in a way it wasn't as fun of a challenge for me - but I still wanted to try to push myself in a little bit different direction than usual. I called this my "Eclectic Bride". I was inspired by working w/ a recent client. Long story short - she sent me several links of items she liked. In my head - I mixed them all up and created this necklace! Every week I seem to find something new to add to the already existing motifs I'm trying to stick with. This is the first time I've added the gold balls to the organic vine pieces and I LOVE it. I also opted for the patina this week - it added to the 'eclectic' feel. Some sections I left the patina on full strength and others I cleaned most of it off. I think a little bit of patina helps the gold to stand out more.

Another thing that is fun about these challenges - I do hold myself to the deadline (I went a few minutes over today on my photographing due to a phone call that caught me right at the end!) so there are some finishing things that I think I'll tweak later, but I wanted to remain true to the deadline and get it photographed as is at 3:00.

And now for the blog post. whew - its been a busy day and I have lots more to do - so I'm out!

EMJC-PR6.7 - blue

EMJC-PR6.7 - blue
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

All done with this week's! It worked out great that a wholesale gem dealer came to the continuing ed jewelry class last night and I bought this huge piece of lapis for the challenge. I had other ideas of something I wanted to try, but it didn't work so well. So this is the piece! You can see a lot more photos on flickr.

check out the etsymetal blog later this afternoon for more blue entries - they are really fabulous this week!

EMJC-PR6.5 - Newspaper

I'm pretty happy with this week, although, I kind of wish I'd started on it earlier. This was my original idea and I kept procrastinating as I didn't feel it was very creative. I played around w/ some other things trying to get a different idea and when at the last minute, nothing - I went back to this one! My favorite part about it is the view from the back - how you can see the silhouetted tendrils through the paper.

EMJC-PR6.3 - "Surfwear" - Sea Goddess

This piece was so fun to make. Again, I had a general idea but wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do. I really love big fan coral - they are like the trees of the sea! I also had kelp in mind. I was making earrings at first and then realized it needed to be a little bigger and as a necklace. The coral bits can be taken off as well if you prefer just the metal look. I put a light liver of sulfur patina in yellow and orange hues, w/ some deeper colors towards the bottom. I didn't want the straight up black, but it also wasn't quite right without the patina.



The chain is segments of fused argentium sterling as well that look like little sticks of coral, (or just sticks!). Minus the coral and it looks rather like branches! Make sure to check later today for the entry on the EtsyMetal blog - our members have been really inspired and created some amazing pieces!

Signature Style - EtsyMetal Blog Carnival

This is the second installment of the Etsymetal blog 'carnival'. The idea is that we'll pick a topic every so often and anyone that wants to will blog about that one topic - then we'll all link to each other so you can see the answer from other EtsyMetal members.

The topic or question for this one is about our signature style and how it came about or was inspired.

Mine pretty easily came to mind as I remember the course it took. Though I feel I sort of have 2 signature styles, I'm picking just one - my Organic Vine Collection - It all started w/ this pendant.

I was still very new to etsy and it was the first thing that sold the same day I listed it. Within a couple of hours even it had sold. That said to me "This is unique and desirable and eye-catching" It was also extremely fun to make - its all about fusing - my favorite thing - using a torch AND hammering.

It evolved in to the more current style pretty quickly once I found how easily Argentium sterling silver fused. This necklace was one of the first of the recent generation of the Organic Vine Collection.



I knew that I wanted to find something that would create a style and a look that was easily recognizable, but did not involve making the same piece over and over and over again. So I developed this collection. It is always fun to make, the pieces never turn out the same and I know that all of my customers are getting something truly unique.

As far as the inspiration for the name of the collection - it reminded me of vines obviously! particularly vines that grow up and over fences, gates, walls, etc... nature taking over.



I want to continue to evolve the collection. I have visions of what sort of pieces I can create. I want to do some body formed pieces - similar to this ring. But on an even larger scale.



So that is where it came from and where I hope to be going! And make sure to check out the other EtsyMetal participants for this topic:
cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/
andescruz.ganoksin.com/blogs
andescruz.wordpress.com
daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
sarawestermark.blogspot.com/
etsymetal.blogspot.com/
ashleyakers.blogspot.com
tangerinetreehouse.blogspot.com
ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/
discomedusa.typepad.com/
kerinrose.blogspot.com

new organic vine rings

new organic vine rings
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I needed to remake a ring for a sweet gal and since it had been awhile since I had made one like it, I wanted to do a couple of 'practice' rings. I've been wanting to make some wider organic vine rings w/ stones for awhile and this was the perfect chance! I haven't listed them yet... hopefully later today - this is just a little tease. And there is another photo on flickr of the other ring - slightly different (of course) and w/ lapis. They are fused argentium sterling silver - though the fine silver bezel is soldered in (and intentionally made uneven for a truly organic look). oh and this stone is aventurine - one of my favorites.

GiveAway Ends Today!!!

Just a reminder - today is the last day for a chance to win a pair of my earrings!
Find out more on Down and Out Chic.

Earring Giveaway!

My sweet friend over at Down and Out Chic asked me if I was interested in doing a promotion on her blog and I said "Yes!" Though I'm not much of a daily blog reader - I do read hers every day! Not only is she an amazing person, but she has great taste. I love seeing what she has found that is unique, gorgeous and affordable!

So anyway, go check out her blog and participate in the promotion to win this pair of earrings! Ends 4/21.

New organic vine cuff bracelet

organic vine cuff bracelet
Originally uploaded by bcyrjewelry

I took some time off of making these, worked on revamping them and am very pleased with the results! They are sturdy and strong and elegant all at the same time! I've been making some that are larger and also working on a bangle version - which is quite difficult to achieve, thought its getting there!

You can check it out here.