Bad Blogger!

I can't belive so much time has gone by between posts! I have been neglectful for too long!

It's not for lack of thought - quite the opposite.
I have so many ideas. Hundreds.
These past few weeks? So many ideas that it's been hard to make time to sit still and share. That was then. This is now.
Beware.
I'm about to explode all over this dang blog.

SO.

I've officially switched to etsy from ebay as far as my favorite interweb jewelry supplier goes. There is just so much to choose from! I like set prices versus having to bid, and I like that everyone on the site is an artist - rather than a random ebay seller somewhere in China who never responds to your questions, but that's a whole other story...

One of the great thing about etsy is how inspired I get from looking though people's items.
This necklace below is verrrrry close to what I'm doing. It's beautiful...

I especially like the urchin charm.

I'd like to be able to offer mine for less than $160 though.

And choose a better chain to compliment the antiqued look of the charms...

SO.

I've been looking through little charms, trying to choose which ones to start my collection with. For simplicity's sake, I will be starting my collection using Sterling, but will happily make anything in gold to order. Plated, fill, 24k, you name it.

My goal is to make each necklace as personal as possible. This makes it a little difficult to choose particular pieces ahead of time. Just look at what's out there:

Have a look at these stamped pendants:

I could do that! It would be a great little somethin, somethin to have up my sleeve. That way I don't stock up on different charms, I just have sterling medallions that I stamp to order. Cute, non? Several people on etsy offer stamping kits...


ANOTHER of my goals is to make an earring jig à la:
It speeds up the process of wire work exponentially. You can buy kits that allows for more complex wire wrapping... But I'm really more interested in SOLDERING!

Turning Sterling wire into Headpins:

And then turning those headpins into ear wires:

With a little practice, I could one day turn out even fancier ear wires:

Dare I dream?...

I've found a few sellers who offer soldering kits on etsy, but I think that instead I'll drag the Mr. over to Metalliferous here in Manhattan and see the stuff in person.


Mostly because it would be a rather good idea to meet someone who could walk me through the process - as much as I like play with fire...