Playing around

I'm excited to have a few orders I'm working on.  I have a few brave friends who have encouraged me in this venture. :)  I have been playing around with "rough drafts" and even a few new techniques this week and took some pictures!  Enjoy!

This necklace is the latest I'm wearing.  It has a 3/4" silver disc with my initials (monogram style).  The edges are textured with a hammer and it is slightly domed (to lay better).  The word "esperanza" is hammered onto one side of this 1 1/4" double sided rectangle pendant.  Esperanza means hope in Spanish.  On the other side, I have stamped the word "trust".  I LOVE this lowercase stamp set.  The handwriting is cute and fun!  I have also included a pearl.  I've been studying up on the meaning of different stones, shapes and gems (not in a superstitious way, but figuring I need to know what it is I'm "saying").  Pearls typically represent purity, truth, wisdom.  I had fun wire-wrapping this pearl, the top is wrapped 2 1/2 times and the silver wire then goes across the pearl in a swirl and ends at the bottom.

This is a rough draft for a friend who wanted Psalm 37.4 on a specialized pendant along with her children's initials and birthstones.  The copper 1.25 x 1.25" square will be the background (in silver on the final piece).  And I was excited that the whole verse fit!!  The last word "heart" will actually be a heart shaped stamp as well.  It will be paired with a silver donut shaped piece with the initials evenly spaced and the birthstones dangling from the center.  I'm excited to see the final outcome of this one!  I will probably figure out something to do with this "rough draft" combining it with some silver piece as well. 

This is a silver filigree ball that I have made into a cute little charm for a combination I have yet to discover!  :)  I love putting pieces together!

Now this was a huge stretch for me.  I actually used a spare 1" x 1" copper square for the base and layered scrapbooking papers with a travel and airplane theme along with a piece of screen (from my parents' old screen door most likely) along with seed beads for this fun charm.  I then covered the entire thing with a fun product called Glossy Accents (from your local craft store) and let it dry overnight.  I wasn't sure how clear it would come out, but I was really impressed!  It is a great alternative to epoxy and resin (less toxic as well!). And it will be a great addition to a charm bracelet or fun necklace.

This piece is a familiar saying (I recently made one for my mom out of a 1" circle).  I decided to see what it would look like on a 1"x .75" rounded rectangle.  I love it!  It would be perfect with  children's birthstones in swarovski crystals. 

Stay tuned for more of my latest creations!