April is for amulets... the component of the month.

I am excited to share these new pieces with you, our readers and my team mates here at AJE. This month I wanted to break out of the "clay cave" as I call it - and offer something different! I am busy glazing and firing pieces for the last Bead Fest Spring event - and taking a day to work in polymer feels like a welcome break. 

So - without further ado... my polymer amulet beads. 

Fresh from the oven, painted and ready

I love a wearable piece that has a message, or a meaning. And these take that to a new level. The core of the amulet is a piece of aluminum tubing and the beads are open at the top. I imagine them with a miniature scroll of paper, an image, a message... 

Amulet bead in hand - shown for scale. 

The facts: 

• These focal beads are approximately 1.5" long. 
• Some have corks, others do not. 
• They are drilled through - so they can be strung easily or have wire wrapped loops added on...

You could win ONE of these - but let me surprise you... 

Want to play along? Here are the rules…

• I will give away 2 amulet tube beads (chosen at random) to 2 winners selected randomly from those who leave a comment below this post. Your comment MUST include your EMAIL AND BLOG address so we can contact you should you win.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 2 winners will be announced on Saturday - April 2, 2016.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that these will be posted from the US and international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Saturday - April 30, 2016.

I look forward to hearing your comments and seeing you at the end of the month! 

From Scotland to Bead Fest: mermaid medleys

Did I grab your attention with that title? Come on a mixed media journey - I will explain...


Earlier this year, my friends Sarah Dressler ( of Toadstools and Treestump artist dolls) and her family went to the UK. Sadly there were ashes to scatter, but also family to visit and adventures to be had. One pivotal stop was at The Ha'en. (Ethie Haven, north of Arbroath on the East Coast of Scotland). Sarah’s maternal grandfather purchased a cottage in the early days of this century. Originally fisherman's cottages, they have been shared and passed down to family members to this day.

Ethie Haven, Scotland aka the Ha'en. 

Naturally Sarah and her daughter Emma (my fabulous, talented teacher's aide) did some beach combing. I was struck by the delicate beauty of their dainty treasures; which they graciously offered to share with me. The idea to encapsulate memories, to create a talisman for them was instantaneous. Here is what I created:

Mother and daughter "Memory medleys" contain shells, sea glass, coral chips, pebbles... from the beach at the Ha'en. 

The tiny bits of sea pebble, beach glass, coral, shell are cast into a resin cabochon. The outer shell was a beach combing find as well, and I knew I wanted the wee pieces to peek through the ring of shell. The pairing is tab set for strength, security, and to provide a bright reflective backing - highlighting the treasures.

This medley of sorts, a mermaids treasure, a selkie's collection - the idea took hold of me... I can't walk the Delaware beaches without at least one pebble or shell. The ocean gives me a small token each trip. I have ocean treasures in many spots around my studio, AND I recently went to the Sea Shell City shop in Fenwick DE with this idea in mind.

Treasure on my "water" shelf; purchased materials and found treasures. 

These are the first pieces. They are a bit yellow as I was using older resin, and that doesn't bother me. A bit of a golden glow... They are easy to do, yet very time consuming as each involves 2-3 resin pours. Items are added in layers to control floating... and sinking!

Mermaid medley resin cab prototypes. 

These would be perfect for tab setting. For bead embroidery. They could be drilled. I plan to do 4 different things to these four. Oh so many possibilities! 

And I am making a batch for Bead Fest - please! Chime in now! How would you like to see them? What format works for you? Cabs? Drilled? Already tab set? Id love to hear your thoughts!

To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.     William Blake

Labyrinths revealed - December Component of the Month.

       Hello everyone! I hope the Holidays are treating you well, filled with frolic, fun and family. And now we are at the end of a year, turning the page onto another filled with possibilities and potential. As the labyrinth is a symbol for a journey - whether it be real or metaphor - I felt it was a great symbol to end. And to begin on.

Please join me in taking a look at the creations of these diverse and talented women.

  And Happy New Year! 

This months guests of honor:
Emma Todd
Lee Koopman
Jess Green


And participating AJE team members:
Jen Cameron 
Kristi Bowman
Diana Ptaszynski
Kristen Stevens
Lesley Watt
Francesca Watson
Melissa Meman
Jo Tinley
Linda Landig
Sue Kennedy
Jenny Davies-Reazor, your hostess 

Jenny

www..jdaviesreazor.com

Charm, and charm again...

Hello again!
Last time I was here I wrote about charm holders, showed you a few I liked... and I will admit I have been thinking about them since. So I wanted to share with you my endeavors. These are simple wire constructions, and some of you may consider this elemental. But I am one to use what ever technique suits the piece - however complex or simple...

I had promised charm holders to 2 friends with birthdays in October. (Check your calendar, you read that right. I am 2 months late on this.) So I sat down to work... It took some fiddling until I got the shape I wanted. This is from a 6" piece of wire.

1. & 2. Create crossed circle app. size.
3. - 5. Using large end of rd pliers, bend ends back in "U". Curl ends up in opp. direction with small tip of pliers.
6. Finished shape.  7. Hammer time!

Bali silver bud, tiger eye, quartz, "Strength" copper link, carnelian, turquoise. 

 

Garnet, Green Girl studios link, tiger eye, quartz crystal, jade, garnet charm. 

I had another idea - for my Mother in law, and my Grandmother in law... a heart shaped pendant with the grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's birthstones. They are MAD for birthstones...

Bottom pix: First is 18 ga with 22 ga wrapped bail. Center is 12 ga with wrapped bail. Third is 20 ga with loop/bail within the wire shape itself.

I think these have potential. I do plan to use more 22 ga wire and wrap the centers closed for security - on the smaller gauge pieces at least. the 12 gauge wire isn't going anywhere! The birthstone crystals are on order, and then these gifts are complete! ( The third heart is for my Aunt in law. Can't leave anyone out!) Copper chain to complete the necklace and then... its a wrap! Or time to wrap, at least!

One more. This one is mine! 

Have a great weekend everyone. I have my last Kids ceramics class to teach on Saturday, then I get to head to Middle Earth on Sunday. The Hobbit. In Imax. Sweet.... After that - assorted holiday tasks! Enjoy!

Jenny 

www.jdaviesreazor.com

Charmed, I am sure...

I have a pile of things on my work table to do, fix, alter, repair... One is a charm I made for my sister when my nephew, her firstborn, was ... well, born. It has his name, a star, and his birthstone (aquamarine) as well as a link of 4 stones - he was born on the 4th.

She has taken to wearing multiple charms on the same necklace, creating her own talisman, a power bundle that she can carry with her in the corporate world. I am reworking the original charm that sparked the idea, so it will hang better with others.


This got me thinking about charm holders. I have a "mojo" piece I made for myself - incorporating personal symbols of  my art, materials I use... (sea glass, gems, river stone, Antique doll arm, bone game piece " Happy in her studio", paintbrush. Currently missing - ceramic shard from Marsha )

And I took a browse over at Etsy to see what I could find. I was mainly looking for empty charm holders - thinking the fun is in building your own unique collection. Here is what caught my eye.

Amanda Davie - a FB friend of mine - has a great line of charm holders and charms. She has eclectic taste, a little Romantic, a little Boho, a little quirky. I love it!

Cindy at Hill Country Silver had great pieces in a variety of finishes. 

Beadspoint is a supply shop that I wasnt familiar with before now - but the lotus really caught my eye. 

Janne of Gothic Closet has such cool stuff. I love finding new artists on Etsy!

Leona/Lee's Whimsy has a very diverse shop, but I did like this one - with the Alphonse Mucha image! 




I think I may experiment with some charm holder designs in the future. I love the idea of building a necklace over time with items of meaning and significance. I think I need to make more. I may even feel a tutorial coming on...

Thanks for stopping by...
Jenny
www.jdaviesreazor.com