Choosing & Using Hook Clasps-Friday Findings

Nov 182016
 

ff hook clasps

You can be certain that one of the first purchases a new jewelry creator will make is for some kind of clasp, unless all they ever plan to make are earrings.

Hook clasps are one of the most basic closures for bracelets and necklaces, but there are many variations on the theme. In today’s video I’ll show you several examples of types of hook clasps, give you some tips for purchasing them, and also show examples of different ways you can use these findings, sometimes not as clasps at all!

clasp

This clasp by Karisma by Kara’s Etsy shop is nice enough to use as a focal point.

Here are a few of the clasps I showed in the video as well as a few others I think would be fun to use.

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Choosing & Using Hook Clasps-Friday Findings video at YouTube.

Silver & Gold Crystal Pendant-Video Jewelry Tutorial

Nov 152016
 

silver & gold crystal pendant cover

Today’s necklace began when I realized that my rhinestone spacers were silver plated while the cup chain that I wanted to use was gold in color. Most of the time I always feel like I have to use all gold or all silver and not mix them, but then I realized that the holidays are coming, It was then that I started hearing Burl Ives singing “Silver and Gold” from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, and knew what I had to do. 🙂

So here’s a classy, sparkly and really quick to put together necklace for you today.

In the video I show how you can use the same design to make earrings or even turn it into a bracelet.

Tools and Materials:

  • Rhinestone cup chain, 6 to 10 inches
  • 3 eye pins
  • 2 3 hole 20mm spacer bars
  • 3 cup chain connectors
  • 9 5 to 6 mm brass or gold beads
  • Necklace chain and clasp
  • Round nose pliers
  • Chain nose pliers
  • Wire cutters

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Silver & Gold Crystal Pendant-Video Jewelry Tutorial at YouTube.

Check Out Gorgeous Jewelry Designs and Vote For Your Favorites!

Nov 142016
 
ceramic set

Cardinal Red Challenge Kit

Last spring I joined in Firefly Design Studio’s jewelry design challenge, and it was a lot of fun. So I decided to join in again. The way the design challenge works is that everybody purchases a set of Michelle’s beautiful ceramic jewelry components (above.) Then we each design and create a set of jewelry using all the components plus whatever else we want to add.

ffc 3 pieces

She also includes a single component from a guest artist, which is rather fun. This time it was the copper teardrop shape that I used as a dangle at the bottom of my necklace.

ffc earrings

The kits of components are available in two different colorways, and this time I chose colors that are quite out of my comfort zone. However, I have to say after completing this project I was really pleased and I’m looking forward to wearing these, my usual colors or not.

ffc necklace

The fun thing about this design challenge is that you get a chance to vote on your favorites. Voting is open from Monday, November 14 through Friday, November 18. Go to the Firefly Design Studio Challenge Facebook page, check out all the designs, and click like and or add a comment to your favorites. Likes and comments will both count as votes for your favorite items.

ffc bracelet

I think it’s really fun to see what different people come up with using the exact same set of components. People’s creativity never ceases to amaze me!

Friday Findings-Multi Strand Findings

Nov 112016
 

ff multi strand findings

One classic way of adding interest and complexity to a jewelry piece is to have multiple strands. There are many different ways of accomplishing this but one of the simplest and most convenient is to use multi-strand findings.

In today’s video I show you not only a wide variety of multi-strand jewelry findings, but I also show you a few different ways you can create your own findings for multi-strand designs.

One tricky thing about looking for these findings online is that they don’t have any particular standardized name. I’ve seen them called multi-loop, hole or ring findings, and the pieces themselves have been referred to as connectors, bars, ends, end pieces and more.

Whatever name you call them and however you find them, I hope that you’ll have fun using your imagination and creatively using these interesting findings.

Below are links to some of the findings you’ll see in the video as well as a few others that I thought would be fun to use.

Here are links to the two bracelets I show in the video:

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Friday Findings-Multi Strand Findings video at YouTube.

Sedona Bracelet Part 2- Jewelry Video Tutorial

Nov 082016
 

sedona bracelet cover pt 2

This week brings the second part in how to make this bracelet. I really had a lot of fun using my scrapbooking dies and embossing folders to shape and decorate these copper pieces.

In today’s video I show you how to make a “tornado toggle” to finish up your bracelet closure. It’s really simple to do, a lot of fun and has great impact.

tornado toggle

This closure with its embossed copper flower and tornado toggle would look fantastic as the focal point of a necklace. Simply have the chain go around the neck, and then perhaps punch another hole in the flower to add a dangle to keep it everything weighted and hanging nicely.

Yes, the list of supplies is long, but if you’ve been crafting for a while you may already have many of them. And if you plan to continue making jewelry you will find uses for them for a long time to come.

Tools and Materials:

If you need more detail on some of the techniques mentioned, these videos will be helpful:

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Sedona Bracelet Part 2- Jewelry Tutorial at YouTube.

Friday Findings-Random Crafty Findings

Nov 042016
 

ff crafty findings

Today I have for you a rather different type of video that I usually do. I was looking around my craft table and studio and realized I had a lot of bits and pieces that I’ve been gathering for future projects. In fact as I’m putting together this blog post I realize there are several more things that I didn’t include in this video. Lots going on!

I’ll leave it up to you to let me know in the comments if you like this type of video and would like more like it or if you prefer that I just stick to tutorials. 🙂

lamppost beauty 2

Here’s a better view of the fairy garden lamppost that’s featured in the latest Polymer Café magazine. This tutorial was a fun one to put together. I  made two variations, including one you can stick into the ground in your garden and it won’t topple over.

lamppost lights out

What I didn’t mention is that the flowers are made out of glow-in-the-dark clay. I just love turning off the lights and admiring them. 🙂

Here are links to the things I could find links for. Let me know which you found interesting and helpful.

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Friday Findings-Random Crafty Findings video at YouTube.

Fairy Garden House Polymer Clay Tutorial

Nov 022016
 

garden fairy house -Sandy Huntress Keepsake Crafts.net, http://craftartedu.com/dt-fairy-garden-house-with-sandy-huntress

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that I have a new tutorial available! It’s for how to make this cute little fairy garden house. This is a downloadable PDF tutorial.

garden fairy house, creating faux stones -Sandy Huntress Keepsake Crafts.net, http://craftartedu.com/dt-fairy-garden-house-with-sandy-huntress

The tutorial is nearly 20 pages long with plenty of full color photos and detailed step-by-step directions. I show you how to make these realistic looking faux stones, how to texture the leaves and make a real leaf-like roof, plus how to construct and put the whole thing together.

garden fairy house, applying shingles -Sandy Huntress Keepsake Crafts.net, http://craftartedu.com/dt-fairy-garden-house-with-sandy-huntress

There’s also an adorable bonus coloring page at the end. It’s a fairy garden house, of course. 🙂

garden fairy house, flower details -Sandy Huntress Keepsake Crafts.net, http://craftartedu.com/dt-fairy-garden-house-with-sandy-huntress

There are so may details that bring this charming little house to life: vines, leaves and flowers twining over the roof, a touch of gilding and a paint technique that totally makes your faux stones look real!

garden fairy house -Sandy Huntress Keepsake Crafts.net, http://craftartedu.com/dt-fairy-garden-house-with-sandy-huntress

So if you like fairy gardens, or you know someone who would like one as a gift, check out the downloadable Fairy Garden House tutorial at CraftArtEdu.

Let me know what you think!

I also put together a video preview of the class:

Watch the Fairy Garden House Polymer Clay Tutorial video at YouTube.

Happy creating!

Sedona Bracelet Jewelry Video Tutorial – Part 1

Nov 012016
 

sedona bracelet cover pt 1

This week’s jewelry project is one that I have had in mind for quite a long time, but I wasn’t sure if it would work the way I thought it would.

I have cut the occasional piece of metal with my die cutting machine, but just wasn’t sure if the Big Kick would be up to the pressure (pun intended!) or if it plain wouldn’t work.

The embossing folders worked out far better than expected. I had pictured the plastic pieces losing to the metal and me ending up with ruined embossing folders, but the embossed metal actually came out quite nice.

The class that I mention in the video is Micro Torch Basics by Kate Richbourg. It’s free and definitely worth watching!

The materials list is rather long this week, but they are all basic jewelry making supplies and you will be able to use them on many other things for years to come.

Tools and Materials:

If you need more detail on some of the techniques mentioned, these videos will be helpful:

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Sedona Bracelet Jewelry Video Tutorial – Part 1 at YouTube.

Friday Findings-Studio 1.2 Tour

Oct 282016
 

studio 1.2

Today’s Friday Findings video is just a quick little tour of a new space that I have for recording my YouTube videos. If you’ve noticed over the past couple videos a change in the sound and lighting this will explain it. I hope to be getting a new microphone and improving the sound sometime soon.

Although the space is small, it’s all mine. What’s wonderful about that is that I can come down and record anytime I think of something. The only exception would be if my husband is in the basement doing woodwork. We probably don’t want to hear power tools running in the background!

Anyhow I just wanted to share this space with you as it makes me very happy to have it and makes my making videos for you much, much easier and less stressful.

Here are links to a few of the helpful things you may have seen the video:

Enjoy the tour. Happy creating!

Watch the Friday Findings-Studio 1.2 Tour at YouTube.

Stenciling with Mica Powders-Polymer Clay Video Tutorial

Oct 252016
 

mica stencils cover

In today’s video I show a fun technique for surface effects on polymer clay. Although putting pigment through a stencil seems fairly basic, there actually are quite a few small details to attend to and understand in order for your pieces to come out as nice as possible.

Throughout the video I give several tips and tricks to make sure your stenciling is crisp and clean, your blending is smooth and that you have no stray powders in places you don’t want them.

Those of you who are my patrons can go to Patreon.com/sandysewin for some bonus footage of pieces that I didn’t show the making of in the public tutorial.

Tools & Materials:

Enjoy the video and happy creating!

Watch the Stenciling with Mica Powders-Polymer Clay Video Tutorial at YouTube.

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