Filigree Leaf Motif Sterling Silver Ring on Handmade Artists’ Shop.
Tag Archives: Jewellery
Star Steam Bracelet
Happy Monday!
December is here! The winter’s here in Idaho are interesting. It can be pouring rain and lashing wind, power outages and storm warnings one moment, and sunny and bright the next.
This morning, after braving the weather and inconsistent power supply, I have one new item to share with you before it is back to the grind stone, I mean workbench.
Star Steam Bracelet Chainmaille and Charms
Star Steam Bracelet Chainmaille and Charms
Steampunk or Industrial Fashionistas will love this substantial and stunning chainmaille charm bracelet. Bronze charms, stars, gears, and disks encircle the cuff, interspersed with beautiful faceted bi-cone shaped glass beads in Amber and Brown. Makes a soft and lovely sound when worn. Light weight and comfortable.
8-1/2″ total length and 3/4″ wide, including clasp. “Merlin’s Gold” or Jeweler‘s Bronze wire has been hand spun cut, antiqued and woven in a version of the European weave. Gears are sold as jewelry components and have never been used in any device or machinery that I am aware of. Disks are hand-drilled and sanded smooth. Each charm and bead is attached individually. Bi-cone beads are 6mm translucent amber and brown. Finished with a matching Toggle clasp.
Arrives boxed, ready for gift giving.
There are lots of other things in the shop as well. Remember to enter the coupon code HOLIDAY10 for 10% off your total purchase. Many of the items in the shop have been reduced for a special Holiday Sale. A wide variety of jewelry can found in the section $10.00 and Under, including natural semi-precious gemstone earrings, bracelets and necklaces, glass beaded jewelry sets and more!
Custom requests are always welcome, working with in your budget is one of our specialties.
Thank you for stopping in and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant work week.
Featured Artist – A Bead Thing
Greetings,
Happy Wednesday one and all. As tomorrow is a Holiday for the U.S., we’re once again changing things up a little bit and featuring the artist of the week today. The blog will be taking a break tomorrow for Thanksgiving.
It is my pleasure to once again feature handmadeartists.com artisan and shop owner Pam, owner and designer of A Bead Thing.
Pam says: “Handcrafted jewelry is my passion. Choose handcrafted bracelets, rings, necklaces and pendants. I especially love creating bead woven jewelry because of the enormous variety in colors available and the diversity in style that can be created. Bead woven or stitched items are also lightweight and easily cared for. All contributed content © abeadthing“
Not only is she an talented jewelry designer, she is also an avid advocate for handmade products, promotes other shops, is a member of the Handmade Artists Forum as well as a contributor to Handmade Artists blog. She spearheads the Facebook Ring, and is currently involved in any number projects at home with her family. You can read her blog post: Increase Sales or Lower Product Value, which is interesting and informative.
She is one busy woman.
Pam also finds time to create some really wonderful jewelry. Some of my favorite pieces are below.
These just amaze me. I can’t crochet but I just love to knit, and these incorporate a clever design with beaded yarn for a crafty and unique pair of earrings.
Crochet Thread Hoop Earrings
Description: Hoop earrings with crocheted centers using a purple crochet thread. This works out to have a dream catcher appearance. I have added #8 light amber seed beads to the inner circle for a bit of sparkle. 16 gauge handcrafted hoops. Length of earring, earwire to bottom is 2.5 inches and they are almost 2 inches wide.
Since different monitors show colors somewhat differently, I have used several camera settings to hopefully provide a clear view of the earrings and their color.
Description: This lovely pendant is created using 4mm swarovski crystal bicones in light Siam and Amethyst with a brass metallic 11/0 seed bead. Each of these is created separately and then connected using 4 mm glass pearls. If you look closely you can tell that each segman is shaped into a cross using a right angle weave to begin. The necklace is 22 inches toggle to bar.
Description: This bracelet is woven using emerald colored 4mm swarovski crystals, gold-tone 11/0 seed beads on heavy duty Wild Fire thread. Length is 8 inch.. Can be ordered for specific size and/or color.
We hope we have inspired you to take a look and see what else this talented bead-worker has to offer.
You can also find Pam’s work at any of the links below.
Handmade Artists Shop
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Thank you for stopping in and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
Joy Pendant Red Rice in a Glass Bottle on Handmade Artists’ Shop
Joy Pendant Red Rice in a Glass Bottle on Handmade Artists’ Shop.
Hand Dyed Rice in a glass bottle.
Featured Artist – Chic Xpressions on Etsy
Good Morning,
Today, like every Thursday, it is my pleasure to showcase a new shop artisan on Etsy, Chic Xpressions.
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| Custom jewelry that compliments your style |
She has three items to share with you this morning. She also offers customization from lengthening or shortening a chain to changing Fish Hook ear-wires to a Clip-on style, in case your ears are not pierced, for her jewelry designs.
Wood Beaded Statement Bib Necklace OOK
Description: SALE- 30% off for a limited time only. Use coupon code: 30FORFALL
This wood beaded statement bib necklace was designed with love and handcrafted with care by me for you. Feel free to browse around my other listings for a variety of beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Thank you for visiting my Jewelry Shop for those unique, one of a kind pieces!!
**If you absolutely love this statement bib necklace but are not ready to purchase, click the heart button to add it to your favorites.
Green, Bronze and Tan Earth tone Beaded Dangle Earrings
Description: SALE- 30% off for a limited time only. Use coupon code: 30FORFALL
These green, bronze, and tan earth tone beaded dangle earrings with heart lockets were designed with love and handcrafted with care by me for you. Feel free to browse around my other listings for a variety of beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Thank you for visiting my Jewelry Shop!!
**If you absolutely love these earth tone dangle earrings but are not
ready to purchase, click the heart button to add it to your favorites.
Gold Chain and Rust Color Dangle Earrings
Description: SALE- 30% off for a limited time only. Use coupon code: 30FORFALLThese gold chain and rust color dangle earrings were designed with love and handcrafted with care by me for you. Feel free to browse around my other listings for a variety of beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Thank you for visiting my Jewelry Shop!!
**If you absolutely love these dangle chain earrings but are not ready to purchase, click the heart button to add it to your favorites.
What Nicole says:
Bio:
I love to design and make unique pieces of jewelry. Some of the pieces are on trend while some are classy and timeless. I take pride in my designs and offer them at reasonable prices that won’t break your budget. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings are all here and readily available. There’s a piece of jewelry for everyone, including you.
You can also find her on Facebook: Chic Xpressions Online
Thank you for stopping in and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
Thursday Featured Artist – Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Hello,
This morning we feature another wonderful artist from handmadeartists.com, April, the Brooklyn Bead Goddess.
April, makes wonderful lamp-work glass beads and incorporates them into her work, making earrings, bracelets and necklaces. There is a such a variety that it was hard to choose which pieces showcase her unique vision and talent.
Earrings:
What April says about Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Bio:
Hello and welcome ~ My name is April. I am a glass bead maker and jewelry designer. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York gives me the style and flair unique to my jewelry. I’ve always been intrigued with glass. When I was young I remember seeing glass artists along the Coney Island boardwalk. I loved seeing the sparkling delicate sculptures they made. Today I am pleased create my own glass beads and incorporate them in my jewelry designing. I use a technique called “lampworking” to make my glass beads.
You can find and follow her at any of the sites and links listed below.
Brooklyn Bead Goddess – Website
Brooklyn Bead Goddess– Facebook
Brooklyn Bead Goddess – Etsy
Brooklyn Bead Goddess – Blog
We hope that we have inspired you to take a look at some of April’s fabulous offerings.
Thank you for stopping by and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
Studio News 10-5-12
Good Morning,
Wednesday arrives and catches me unprepared! This morning’s blog is brief as I suddenly find myself up to my ears in display racks, and that’s pretty easy, because I am really short.
The Treasure Valley Flea Market is this weekend, October 6th and 7th, 2012, at Idaho Expo at the Fairgrounds. I have been busy packing, polishing and preparing items for the up coming event and as such have not made anything new in the studio. However we do have some cool Halloween themed jewelry in the Shop and at the Market. Enter the coupon code: Holiday10 at check out and receive a 10% Discount on your entire purchase.
Also I am currently studying the fifth mod of the Jewelry Design and Repair Technician Certification course I am taking. Believe it or not, most people behind a jewelry counter, whether department store or fine jewelery boutique have been certified by an educational institution of one kind or other, and it never hurts to continue one’s education and learn about new processes, tools, and materials. If all goes as intended I should complete, or graduate from the course, if you prefer, before April, 2013.
Speaking of classes and courses. I am still the Contracted Jewelry Instructor at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores here in Boise and will be starting classes at Bella’s Grove, 2210 S. Broadway, upstairs, in November. Dates and details will be announced on this blog.
Thank you for stopping in and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
A Bead Thing – Featured Artist
Thursday is here and we have a new Featured Artist this morning.
It is always a pleasure to share and bring another artist to your attention.
Today’s Featured Artists is Pam, owner of A Bead Thing on handmadeartist.com
What she says about her shop:
“Handcrafted jewelry is my passion. Choose handcrafted bracelets, rings, necklaces and pendants. I especially love creating bead woven jewelry because of the enormous variety in colors available and the diversity in style that can be created. Bead woven or stitched items are also lightweight and easily cared for. All contributed content © abeadthing.”
What Pam has to offer in her shop:
Description: These cutsie flip flops are made using 4mm swarovski crystals in complementary colors with a few 11/0 seed beads for the little flower on top. These are a delight to make and to wear, lightweight and will get you all kinds of “oooh where did you get those” comments.
I have several pair in inventory of vayring color combinations and these can be special ordered as long as I have the colors in stock.
Description: The specific type of this jasper stone is unknown. It has beautiful greens and brown colorations through the stone and is wrapped in a copper wire. Stone measures 1.25 square and we have set it on its toe. Jasper is a form of chalcedony believed to be created in volcanic eruptions and lava and formed by the flow of the lava. This is a one of a kind pendant.
Description: Beautiful butterflies, using 11/0 pastel mint seed beads as well as gold tone metallic 11/0 seed beads. This creates the illusion of a butterfly with the 4mm glass pearl. This bracelet is entirely handmade including the clasp which is created using the Peyote stitch and the tubular Peyote stitch. Bracelet is 8.5 inches in length but special orders for specific sizes are welcomed.
What the artists says about herself:
Bio Excerpt:
One day I was to go to a Halloween party and asked my daughter to take some of the beads and make me something to wear. She did and that was the beginning. She began playing around with the beads and we began to buy more and more beads. The more I watched her play around, the more intrigued I became until one day I started playing around with them again. This did not take long at all and I was hooked. I have not stopped since. I began researching techniques and learning all I could about beading and checking out what others were doing and then realized that I was no longer depressed and that God had been working in my life with those beads for many many years. He continues to guide me and provide me with inspiration and I am thankful that He did not give up on me.
Enjoy browsing our items and I hope that if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for stopping by and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
Jens Pind Chainmaille Photo Tutorial In My Studio
Good Morning,
Today in the studio I have been working on a new Chainmaille weave for a variety of items and the post is packed with photos. The Jens Pind Linkage or JPL for short is a spiral weave and very much like a rope pattern. The tight AR (Aspect Ratio) of the rings locks them into place and keeps the weave from unwinding.
The Jens Pind weave, in three colors, to show the pattern. This is a favorite way to weave this pattern, the colors show off the spiral twist of the chain.
Each jump ring is placed through the two prior rings and lines up with the ring of the same color. The jump rings must be linked precisely and in the correct position to achieve the zig-zag stacking effect.
Aspect Ratio is measured by dividing the Inner Diameter (ID) of the jump ring by the Wire Diameter (WD = gauge). It is important to convert the wire gauge into millimeters before dividing. Yes, you have to do math!
AR = ID ÷ WD
Example: 3.0 ÷ 1.024 = 2.92
This would be equivalent to a 3.0mm ID 18 gauge wire jump ring, with an AR of 2.92
It is important to take this into account when working a weave pattern. If the wire is too thick, the inner diameter will not be large enough for the number of the rings that need to pass through it, too thin or the ID too large, the weave (knit) will be too loose with an airy or lacy look. Some Chainmaille patterns are very AR sensitive, as I have found out attempting the Jens Pind. Not terribly complicated, but done with an incorrect AR and you a have an unattractive mess.
Two Color Jens Pind weave, although the rings look the same, they are not, the silver rings are 16g and the Brown are 18g, both rings are 10mm, however for some odd reason they both have an inner diameter of about 5.2. The pattern has a more open weave then the three color chain in the same gauge.
You can see the contrasting rings through the weave, showing that the weave is a little loser than the three color example above.
As you spin or turn the chain the illusion of twisting or spiraling occurs.
Although the position of the rings never changes, they appear to twist through each other depending on the angle of view.
In order to show the detail, I have used 14 g, 16, and 18g, 10mm Anodized Aluminum jump rings purchased from a craft store in all of the example photos. These have an ID of 5 (perhaps 5.2) the AR is 5.2 ÷ 1.628 = 3.2 (3.19) This is a good AR for this particular Chainmaille weave. The correct or optimal AR is somewhere between 2.76 and 3.1
A good tight Jens Pind weave will be supple enough to move fluidly, making it ideal for bracelets, necklaces, and other ornaments and items. Another word about Aspect Ratio, if the AR of any weave is too tight the chain will be stiff and unsuitable for much, including armor, decorative or other wise. Placing the rings properly is crucial if the chain is to be flexible enough for wear or use.
Single color Jens Pind weave. The chain can look different depending on whether you use multiple or single colors of jump rings. I find the single color to be most attractive, but more difficult to weave without the color variation as a visual guide for the ring placement.
These are large chunky chains to show detail. I dislike the rings I purchased, they are poorly cut, some have large burrs or Gargoyle heads and were unacceptable to use, some effort went into sorting and trying to clean them up before the project began. Unfortunately I think another material or another supplier is in order.
Now that we have seen the different looks you can achieve lets take a quick look at how to make this pattern. If you are just learning to weave (knit) maille, may I suggest learning the Half and / or Full Persian weaves before attempting the Jens Pind, it will make more sense if you are familiar with those patterns.
Instructions:
I have tried to be clear, concise and brief in my tutorial, I expect the pictures to be of more help than the written instruction. I will be using Green, Blue and Purple jump rings as in the photo above for easy ring identification and to show the step by step placement of each ring as it is linked into place.
Materials:
Twist Tie
Lot and Lots of jump rings in the correct AR
Two Pairs of pliers (preferably Flat Nosed)
Direction: “Up” = away from you, Down = towards you
1. Close one ring (Green) and connect a twist tie to mark the beginning of the chain.
2. Put one jump ring (Blue) through the first one, close it, and lay it flat against the first one. This will determine how the spiral will form.
3. Add a third jump ring (Purple), by passing it through the eye created by the first two rings and lay it flat against the second ring.
There are now three rings, Green, Blue, Purple (or 1, 2, 3). The purple ring is in the correct position.
4. Add a fourth ring (*Green), this ring should align with the first ring (The one with the twist tie). Slide the ring up through the eye in the previous two rings (blue and purple) making sure it lies behind the first Green ring. Close the ring. *The pattern repeat begins. You can see the zig-zag stacking begin.
5. Rotate the chain so the Blue jump ring arcs over the work.
6. Add the next ring (Blue). Slide the ring down and through the eye of Green and Purple rings and UNDERNEATH (in front of) the previous Blue jump ring.
Each color of the rings must lay in the same direction, as the chain grows it will be easier to see where to place the next ring. Each color ring goes through the same eye as the previous one of the same color.
7. Rotate the chain so the Purple Ring arcs over the work. Add the next ring (purple). Slide the ring up and through the eye of the Green and Blue rings and behind the previous purple ring.
The pattern is beginning to form and you can see how the jump rings are placed in relationship to each other. The Chain needs to be turned to make sure that the rings are lined up in the right position and placed opposite each other.
8. Continue with steps 4 through 7 adding each color (Green, Blue, Purple) of jump ring in order until your length of chain is complete.
There are now seven rings total in the chain, and the third Green, Blue, Purple sequence begins.
Finish with a clasp or link together with a jump ring. Here is a short length sample of the chain we just made, supple enough to make a circle.
Thank you for stopping by and having a look.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
Other Sources:
zlosk.com: Maille – Jens Pind Linkage Ring Calculator
Table of AWG Wire Sizes
Thursday Featured Artist – Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry, LLC
Good Morning,
Thursday’s are devoted to a featured artist, wherever they may be on the web. Today we are featuring a fellow handmadeartists.com Vendor, Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry, LLC.
Their welcome announcement explains what they do briefly, but they shop carries so much more than what you would expect to find.
Description: 24.6 carat oval cabochon cut in our lapidary from natural Lapis Lazuli purchased in the bazaar of Kandahar, Afghanistan. This beautiful cabochon is 25 x 18 mm. The dark blue lazulite is accented by the golden pyrite crystals.
Description: Beautiful faceted chrome diopside gem set in 14 karat gold pendant and hung from a 14 karat gold chain.
BIO:
John Atwell Rasmussen was educated in Geology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He then taught geology and after ten years switched professional course to prehospital medicine. He retired from emergency medical services and is pursuing his love of rocks, minerals and gems as the lapidary and jeweler at Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry LLC. He has been educated in Gemology and Jewelry Design and Repair at: International Gem Society, Gemological Institute of America and Penn Foster Career School.
Dr. Rasmussen is assisted in the shop by his wife, Debora Lee Rasmussen. She is disabled and does bead design and crafting making all of the beaded pieces in the shop. Debora previously designed decorative swags and wreaths custom made for home decor.
Blog: http://rasmussengemsandjewelryllc.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rasmussen-Gems-and-Jewelry/123028303885
Thank you for stopping by and having a look. In hope that the post has inspired a want to go take a gander at what those crafty Rasmussen’s might be up to next.
The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.
The Alchemists Vessel 