New work...Petals & Twigs

Since I'm finally trying to update my website I figured I should update my blog as well.....Besides enameling, I also made a bunch of new pieces with all my yummy beads and stones I bought back in March. Here's a few of the many pieces I made. Check out my website in the next few days to see more!

Smoky Topaz Twig Necklace

Amethyst Petal & Twig Necklace

Carnelian Petal Earrings

Bird update....

The babies are all grown! And all four of them actually flew out of the nest a few days ago and are now living in my back yard. They are still learning to fly but should be pros very soon!

Birds in my flower pot...

OK... I just had to share this with you.... I was given a hanging basket of flowers for Easter which I hung on my front porch. About a week later a Robin made a nest in the center of the basket and a not long after that there were 4 eggs! Not only does this make it extremely hard to water the plant but we now have to be careful not to scare the bird when we walk out our front door! And since this bird is ALWAYS sitting in basket of flowers the flowers don't get watered all that much...here's a pic of the bird sitting in the flower basket...(notice the drooping flowers...they haven't been watered in a few days due to the bird)

Well today while the bird was gone I jumped at the chance to water the flowers before they die and no longer keep the bird's nest hidden and to my surprise there was a baby bird in the nest! Here's a pic of the fuzzy little thing...

Enamel jewelry sampling....

As I stated in an earlier post I've been working with enamels. Well I now have some brand new enameled jewelry and I thought I'd share a sampling of it with you....I'm really LOVING the color I can add to my work and the enamel is a lot easier to work with than I had thought!

Turquoise enameled double chain necklace

Enameled triple circle necklace

Enameled "Leaves" necklace

I don"t have a ton of these items to sell as of yet but I am sure little by little they will be working their way into my booth over the next few months!

I know...

I really do have to post more often on my blog! I've been so busy that the time just gets away from me and before I know it, it's been over a month since my last posting! So to catch you up to speed here are some things that have happened in my life....


Sunday, March 29th, I had to rush my significant other of almost 13 yrs, Tim, to the emergency room twice in the same day...He had severe stomach pains that they thought they took care of the first time around at 4am but the pain came back later that day. It ended up being kidney stones, which 3 weeks later he had passed....so now he's good as new!

Tim :)

I've also been taking an enameling class. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I thought but It's really fun and an easy way to add color to my work without adding too much of an additional expense. I'm working on some new pieces of jewelry for my upcoming shows that incorporate enamels. If you are in the area you should definitely come check them out!

This week I have been working on some enameled pieces, shipping out wholesale orders, making invitations for a home show/jewelry party I will be doing in May and getting ready for my next session of jewelry making classes that I teach on an ongoing basis. Sounds like I'm a pretty busy person!

Photos from classes and workshops....

I have fallen behind with my postings.....I have been teaching classes & workshops that I have been photographing on a regular basis because my students have made some really wonderful things. The only problem is that I haven't posted any of the pictures like I had promised them I would do! So to all of you that I have photographed I apologize and finally here are some pictures from my last couple of classes and workshops!

Yesterday I taught the "Memories of Summer" workshop. In this 1 day workshop students learn how to wire wrap beach glass, sea shells and/or river rocks from their summer vacations to make a pendant, a pair of earrings and ring.

Everyone hard at work

Bernadette modeling her finished sea glass earrings and pendant

They are also making some really cool things in my "Beginner/Intermediate Jewelry Making Class". This is a 7 week class which I teach silversmithing skills which include sawing, filing, finishing, stone setting and soldering with a torch.

Students working on their individual projects


Donna's finished necklace


Danielle's (Donna"s daughter) earrings and 2 pendants


Renee modeling her new earrings


Mindy's bracelet


Mindy wearing her new earrings


Colleen's necklace


Joanne soldering a flower onto her bracelet

Joanne modeling her new bracelet

a close up of Joanne's bracelet

And last but not least, 2 weeks ago I taught a "Corrugated Metal" workshop where students learned how to corrugate metal, oxidize it and then turn it into wearable art! They made both a pendant and pair of earrings to match.


A smaller and more intimate group


Allison modeling her new earrings

Well I think that about covers it all for now...Hopefully later today I will get to the Phila Flower Show. I heard that the show this year it is one of the nicest shows in a while. Not sure what the theme is this time around but if I do get to go later I will definitely post some pictures. I promise! :)

Yummy!....

I went to a gem show over the weekend and bought some great new faceted stones and beads! They remind me of candy the way they are all laying out on my bench right now. I can't wait to start making something with them....maybe later today!