How to Torch-Fire Pendants and Other Flat Things

I've been threatening to make a video showing this technique and I guess today was the day.  I was reading some comments on www.paintingwithfire.ning.com that propelled me to action.  I thought to myself, "It's so much easier than you think!  I'll show you how!"  I grabbed Jim (and his attention), the camera, and went to the studio.  Jim did a great job recording with a little still camera. David mastered iMovie and uploaded the video to as many places as seemed to make sense.

I used the same technique to enamel these funky flowers except that I used a glass stringer to add dots and dashes instead of millefiori ...

I hope you enjoyed the show.  :-) Barbara

P.S.  We're having a chat tonight at the Painting with Fire Ning at 9 p.m. East Coast time.  Why don't you join us!  There's a great sense of community at the Ning where members help each other to learn.

Steampunk Flower Earrings

Hey!  I actually made some jewelry!  A pair of earrings.  Yes, that's right!  Here are my Steampunk Flower Earrings.  

They are made from two copper gears that are domed, enameled, and assembled with a little enamel flower.  They measure 5/8" ... and you'll find them at www.barbaralewis.etsy.com with another lonely soul ... the Jasmine bracelet.  But my goal is to make more jewelry ... I really need to ... for my sanity!  I look forward to sharing other studio creations with you!  :-)  

But before I go, www.paintingwithfireartwear.com is running a sale on Nut, White and Mandarin Orange, transparent enamels ---- 15% off.  Barbara

Messages in my inbox ...

Some days my inbox is like Christmas morning.  This brought a smile to my face. 

:::

This email was exciting, too,  because I was stretching my "authoring" skills ... all accomplished by the grace of God. If you want to read the article you can find it at Ezine.com.

By the way, If you're interested in enamel-speak, we've been having Thursday evening chats at www.paintingwithfirening.com.  It starts at 9 p.m. East Coast time.  Hope to see you there!  Barbara

Bead Giveaway at Something Unique!

I really want to win a giveaway!  It's getting harder and harder to see these wonderful beads and not have them in my possession!  I haven't won anything in a long time ... sniffle, sniffle, honk!  (are you guys feeling sorry for me?!!! You should!)

This is only part of the booty that Lana Kinney is giving away at her blog "something unique by Lana."  I hope you'll all visit Lana.  She's a relatively new blogger ... been at it for five months ... and she's doing a great job.  I love the look of her site. Go visit it so you can see what I mean ...  

Lori Anderson's Bead Giveaway!

Hi Folks, You must go to Lori Anderson's blog to enter her grand bead giveaway. These are all little pretties that she shopped for at Bead and Button.  Make sure to watch the video.  Lori downplays it but it's a "must see."  You can watch adorable Lori talk about her shopping madness!

Here are the goodies in the giveaway!

Sharilyn Miller's New Book ... "Arty Jewelry"

Cover of "Arty Jewelry"

I just had the opportunity to review Sharilyn Miller's new ebook, "Arty Jewelry," and I was blown away by the inspiration I found there.  One of my treasured, dog-earred books is "Bead on a Wire" by Sharilyn.  Since "Arty Jewelry" is a digital file, it will stay in pristine condition, but be well-loved nonetheless!

If you love rings, this is definitely the book for you.  Wire is like putty in the hands of Sharilyn.   There are no kinks or flattened bends in the wire, only graceful curves. She starts off by talking wire and telling you what tools you'll need, including making some brand recommendations ... for which I'm grateful.  The only way to get this information is to have experience or be mentored by a master ... and the latter is much faster and less frustrating!

"Egg Basket" ring

Sharilyn takes you under her wing with photos and full explanations of how to get her results.  So many of the projects lend themselves to your beads, which will make the projects original to you. Like the "Gem Cuff" below, a mix of your beads and the cuff takes on a totally different look.  Her book is about inspiration ... and you definitely come away with wanting to grab a pair of pliers and get to work!

"Gem Cuff" bracelet

Here's one of my personal favorites ... the fibula!  A museum I visited in Bologna, Italy a few years ago had a large of collection of Roman era fibulas in the most gorgeous verdigris bronze that were oh so delicate.  I could imagine it adorning the drape of a Roman toga.  This "Spiral-topped Fibula" will be on my sweater or jacket!  Of course, it will feature one of my enamel beads!  Sharilyn shows in clear photos how to tackle the spiral and how the coiled wire at the end of the bead builds in the spring of the pin stem ... stuff she's already figured out ... all we need do is to follow her guidance! 

"Spiral-topped Fibula"

"Squiggly Bracelet" is another stunner, but I can see this as a necklace.  Imagine the squiggle part of the bracelet becoming the focal point of a necklace chain or sari ribbon.  Wouldn't that be cool?  But you'll use your own ideas with Sharilyn's book as inspiration.  I love the way the squiggly wire fills in the voids between beads and fills out the design.  Super!  

To purchase "Arty Jewelry," just click on the photo of the cover and you will be magically transported to Sharilyn's website where she'll help you out! :-)  Thanks for visiting today ... I hope you're having a good one!  

Jump Ring Jig ... On Sale!

In my attempt to save the fingers of jump-ring cuttin' jewelry artists, the Jump Ring Jig is on sale ... normally $32.00 ... now $27.20 ... that's a 15% discount (I had to use a calculator ... just thought I'd save you the trouble!)  I love this tool!  After I cut my thumb terribly when trying to cut 14 gauge copper jump rings, I asked my brother-in-law, John, to make one for me.  I figured if he could build custom homes, he could make this gadget! :-)

I originally saw it in Bob Dancik's book, "Amulets and Talismans" and now it's in Kim St. Jean's book, "Mixed Metal Mania."  It's my favorite tool, too! Here's how it works:

Instructions for Use

Coil a wire around an object to create the jump ring measurement you desire.  My favorite tool is a pencil that creates an interior measurement of 10mm. 

Lubricate the saw blade with bur life or other lubricant, including beeswax.

Detach one end of the saw blade from the saw.  Slide the blade through the coiled wire and reattach the blade.

Place the coil in the V notch of the device.  Hold the coil firmly in the notch with your nondominant hand while you begin sawing with your lubricated blade.  Tilt the blade slightly downward so that you're only sawing through a few of the coils at a time.

Kim shows a leather flap that she places over the wire coil because the wire can get hot from the friction of sawing.  So you can just place any small piece of fabric between your fingers and the coils as you press down on the coils. 

Beautiful, precisely-fitting jump rings with no pinched ends ... and no injuries!

Instructions for Purchase

Go to my website www.paintingwithfireartwear.com, where you can purchase by paypal or credit card.  Look under the "Special Sale" category.  The sale starts today and expires in two weeks ... on June 16.  

Thank you for shopping with me. :-)  

A Ghost!

I just wanted to share a freaky photo that my daughter's roommate took when they were at the beach last week.  I apologize for the photo quality ... it was taken with her phone ... but it gave me goosebumps nontheless.

Look at the "transparent' man in front ... he doesn't cast a shadow and you can see the texture of the water through his body!  I'm sure it's an artifact of some sort ... but jeepers!

"Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry" - book website

When we last visited Barbara, she was experiencing a calamity of epic proportions.  After four days of solid work on her website using iWeb ... things turned ugly.  Over 20 hours of trying to ftp her website to Go Daddy were rewarded with nada ... zip ... zero. 

Even though haggard, near tears and ready for a breakdown, Barbara, who had not gotten out of her pajamas all day, could not garner the sympathy of her family.  Their exasperation was palpable. She begged their forgiveness, but persevered in her goal.  Another day at the computer ... at the WIX website builder ... and the skies parted. Tada!  Eureka!  Here is what she made ...

Thanks for visiting and for your encouragement ... Barbara's family thanks you, too!

P.S.  In all fairness to her family, they are the ones who cooked, cleaned, and did all her laundry for the week. :-)

The thrill of victory ... and the agony of defeat!

Screen shot of "The Book" Website

OMG!  (said through a BIG megaphone)!!!  And, that doesn't even begin to express my frustration.  My frustration is at a friggin' nuclear blast level ... for I try again ... and again ... and again to send my newly-created website to the World Wide Web. I anxiously await the file transfer at which point I direct my cursor to the url: www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com ...  only to be greeted by a little cute dress saying something really cool is about to appear in that space!

For four solid days I've been working on the website for the book, which is recommended by the publisher. The site will have lots of photos, a little about me, much about my schedule, a look at the virtues of the immersion process of torch firing ...  I initially thought I could add a page at my regular website, but on second thought I realized the information might be lost with all of the other activity there. I went back and forth trying to decide how to do the damn thing ... and decided on iWeb ... a Mac program.  There's a learning curve, but definitely not as steep as it could be!

After the aforementioned four days of solid work I'm ready for the site to go LIVE ... to take on a life of it's own!  I've spent at least 20 hours trying to play the ftp game (file transfer protocol)!  It's time to call go daddy and speak a language at which I'm illiterate ... how embarrassing!

Anyone care to share some frustrating experience so I don't feel all alone?!!!