Thursday, June 25, 2009

NEW in our eSMArts Team Shop

Leila Necklace - Iolite and 14k gold fill.


Please support our eSMArts Team Shop! This online store is a volunteer effort... Proceeds from your purchase will support a very worthy cause.

eSMArts stands for etsy Social Marketing Artisans. We're a global team of mixed media artisan designers who meet online to pool resources, share & inspire and discuss social networking techniques. Our team shop is located on etsy, a worldwide showcase of fine handmade art, crafts and related items.

This is my latest contribution to our eSMArts team shop. I designed the "Leila Necklace" using wonderful gem quality iolite and 14k gold fill. This dainty neck wrap measures 17 inches in total length.

ALL shop proceeds really are being donated to a very worthy cause. We really need your support too. Please consider making a purchase to help us out.

Like the style of one of our featured artists but don't see exactly what you need? Then please convo for info and we'll get a custom listing or commissioned piece under way per your specs and price range. Oh and again, proceeds from your purchase will still be donated to our cause!

BUY HANDMADE

Support an independant artisan

Handmade really IS better

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Lake Ontario Beach Glass

Lake Ontario beach glass


My friend Diane in Rhode Island was right - there IS great beach glass along the shores of Lake Ontario... The other day Amy and I romped down to the Oshawa shoreline. We only had ten minutes to spend there but we managed to find seven nice beach glass samples in that short period of time!

Lake Ontario beach glass
I took a stab at wrapping this one. Now be nice! :) I'm not a fan of most wire wrapped cabochon styles so this isn't a wire technique that I claim experience with! LOL

But to best showcase the lovely transparency of beach glass a dainty wire setting seems quite appropriate.

And don't even ask why I used silver wire on the back side. Heaven knows what I was thinking. I've just gotta stop working in front of the TV!

soldering a sterling collar

I also had fun creating a soldered sterling collar around another beach glass specimen. That's a time consuming technique and takes more patience than I can muster.

Lake Ontario beach glass

As you can see, I cracked the glass! :( And as soon as that happened I called it a day... The finished product however remains near and dear to me (it was the first piece of Lake Ontario beach glass that I found on my quest) so I just might finish and wear this fugly for that reason alone. It's not the destination, it's the journey.