Making Lemonade from Lemons

As I continue to learn new techniques in the art of silversmithing, I find I am using more and more expensive materials. This makes mistakes very costly. My most recent new venture was learning to fuse fine silver wire to make an open loop in loop chain. I took a class from Iris Sandkuhler from California. It is a really cool technique. It involves making fine silver jump rings and then carefully heating them so they are fused closed. No soldering or pickling is required. Then the rings are elongated and folded and connected to make a beautiful chain that should look something like this:

So I purchased some fine silver wire which is of course almost pure silver and more expensive that sterling silver. I made a whole bunch of jump rings. In fact I almost used an entire ounce of wire. It takes a lot of rings to make a necklace.

Then I started fusing rings. After I had fused quite a few, I began to elongate and fold, expecting to begin my beautiful necklace. I wanted the links to be a little smaller than those we had practiced with in class. When I started connecting them I realized that they were too small and after the first two links they wouldn't fit together no matter how hard I tried to maneuver them.

I wasn't about to waste all those beautiful rings so I started thinking about how I could save my mistake. I decided to create my own chain design and this is what I came up with.

It was quite a challenge because as I was connected the rings I had to fuse the round ones after they were connected to the others without melting the whole thing. It gave me some good practice at controlling my torch.

Once the chain was complete I made a clasp and attached some beautiful Watermelon Tourmaline faceted teardrop beads. Here is the final result.

I'm Featured on the Cafe Handmade Site

This week I am a featured artist on Cafehandmade. CafeHandmade is a really cool site with a virtual craft show and lots of other great info.

I'm excited to be featured.

Here's the link.

http://cafehandmade.com/index.php/2009/09/featured-artist-kim-bell-beads-%E2%80%98n-bangles-by-kim/

I'm Becoming More Computer Savvy ...(I Think)

I have really been working on my skills with web related stuff. This past week I decided to try my hand at creating a new banner for my Etsy shop. I opened my Photoshop and started playing. I like what I came up with. It's similar to the banner at the top of my blog.

Today, I saw a post about getting a domain name in the Etsy forums. I just leaped in there and applied for one. My new domain name is below and it is forwarded to my Etsy shop for now. I'm not quite ready to try to design a web page. Maybe in the future.

It's Been A Long Time...

Since I've posted on my blog. I was putting together some photos for a possible newsprint article. I'll say which publication if it gets printed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyway I'll include those photos that I took. Some of the pieces are those I've recently created in my silversmithing classes. I'm having so much fun with my silversmithing. Silver has definitely become my favorite medium.

I recently purchased some new stones and I've been working on designs for those. I'm enjoying having more time for jewelry designs this summer.

Things I Have Done

I saw this on a friend’s blog. It’s pretty neat and really makes you think. The things in bold are the things I have done. Want to play along? Copy and paste this in your blog and bold the things that you have done! Thank you Jerrell!!!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Salons Carrying My Jewelry Designs

I am very fortunate to now have my jewelry featured in two salons. One is here in Charlotte, my hometown. I have been getting my hair styled there since they opened and when I began making jewelry they graciously agreed to sell my designs in the salon. It has been a wonderful location for me. They have a newly designed website. A pic from it and a link is below.



Link to the site:

http://lookingglasssalon.com

Recently I was contacted by a salon in Tennessee. They are selling my designs as well. Here are pics from the web site and the link.



Link: http://theartisanstudioclinton.com