Many Faceted

Design Class, Gemology, etc

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Some finished design sketches from Design class, February 2013
Some finished design sketches from Design class, February 2013

I meant to do a whole post on the Design class I took at Revere Academy last month, and lookie here, it’s a month later. Oops. To sum up, I had a great weekend in San Francisco, learned a lot, loved the school, and I can’t wait to take another class there, once they reopen at their new location (conveniently, across the street from their old location!)

I did a lot of drawing in two days, much more than I’m accustomed to, and it felt good to put ink to paper, in quantity, without caring (much) about the result (which was the point, to get ideas out without too much inner-critique.) I learned a bit about jewelry rendering — how to shade, how to make metal look like metal, etc. There’s two classes that go far more in-depth into rendering, both with dry and wet media. We made “jewelry” out of foil, designed things based on patterns in nature, and learned about generating original ideas, and documenting the idea development process. Useful stuff!

What else? I’ve been working with wire lately, studying two instructional DVDs from Wire-Sculpture.com. So far I’ve made an all-wire bracelet (like a cuff, but with a clasp), and a wire-work cabochon ring. My one picture of those is pretty lousy; I’ll take another one soon.

I just finished box #22 in Gemstone ID; I have 14 more boxes to go (280 stones), which means I’m almost halfway through the 500 stones I will examine throughout the course. There’s a lot left, but at the same time, I’ve seen a lot already! (Over 200!)

Unrelated (yet sortof related), I retired from my spaceflight blog this week, and in a way, Many Faceted has become my personal blog. I’m documenting my various gem/jewelry pursuits and adventures, and it’s fun to share! (I’ll be launching another jewelry blog soon, more research and article-oriented.)

Thanks for reading, and for anyone who came over from Silver Rockets, hello and welcome!

PS: When did this site get so pink? Can you tell I haven’t looked at it in a bit? LOL

Silversmithing Class #2

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Moonstone ring in sterling silver, made by me!
Moonstone ring in sterling silver, made by me!

I took my second silversmithing class over the weekend, despite a lingering cold, and made my first ring! Rings are my favorite kind of jewelry, so I’ve been wanting to dive in and try my hand at one. (Bracelets are a close second-favorite; probably because both can be easily looked at and played with by the wearer… in this case, ME.)

I feel like I learned a lot over the course of the day; it’s been nine months since my first lesson, and it was a little awkward getting used to the torch again. I definitely need to practice filing, and I’d like to learn more about hand-finishing pieces. Overall, I’m happy with the inside of the ring shank, and the finish of the ring in general. The stone is a touch loose, but I think I can fix that with a couple of tools that I don’t own yet.

Hoping to take another lesson in March, when my instructor returns from the wonderland that is Tucson. Next up for me: a two-day jewelry design class in February, at Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco! SO EXCITED!

Moonstone ring in sterling silver, made by me

Back of ring, with hammered shank

Moonstone ring in sterling silver, made by me

My First Jewelry Sales Adventure

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Pendants and strung necklaces by Many Faceted, Mt. Shasta 4th of July street fair, July 2 & 3, 2012Well, it’s official: I’ve sold my first jewelry pieces!

On July 2nd and 3rd, I had a booth at the Mt. Shasta 4th of July street fair (the Mt. Shasta Boulevard booths come down prior to the 4th, to clear the way for the fun run/walk, and the parade.) Although I have experience working and cashiering for someone else, this was the first sales booth I ran myself, with my own goods featured. It’s a lot of work! (Captain Obvious, at your service.)

Resin pendants, beaded necklaces and earrings by Many Faceted

It took a while to set up, mostly because I had a lot of things to display and arrange. I could swear my inventory grew overnight; I don’t recall there being as many when I put the tags on! (The pictures you see are from the first day; I didn’t have time to take any the second day.) I got a lot of compliments on the colors and decorations at my booth, and some great feedback on my jewelry.

Resin pendants, strung beaded necklace and wirework earrings by Many Faceted Bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings by Many Faceted

That said, because the 4th fell mid-week, attendance was low, and I made only a few sales. (My little sister would like everyone to know that she made one of those sales, while I made a lunch run.) However, I now have a lot of inventory to try on consignment locally, and on my Etsy store, now open for business! (NOTE: Only some items pictured here will go on Etsy; if you see something you like, let me know and I’ll gladly put it aside for you!)

Many Faceted at the Mt. Shasta 4th of July street fair Resin pendants and wirework earrings by Many Faceted

Fortunately, I earned enough from my sales to order more equipment for my gemology studies, and my posts will be swinging back in that direction for a while. Next up: a horribly belated account of my unexpected trip to San Francisco to hear a double lecture by one of the world’s great jewelry historians, Dr. Jack Ogden.

Resin pendants by Many Faceted

Launching My Jewelry Business (Part 2)

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Earrings, sterling silver wire, freshwater button pearls, and Swarovski crystals.I’ve been so busy making jewelry, I wasn’t entirely sure I’d have time to post this! As mentioned last post, I will be selling my jewelry at the Mt. Shasta 4th of July street fair, July 2nd and 3rd, from 10 am to 7 pm. I’ll be on the Alma Street end of Mt. Shasta Boulevard — I’m the second-to-the-last booth. If you’re in the area, please stop by!

Without further ado, let me introduce you to my chandelier earrings….

Earrings, copper wire, green freshwater pearls, and green tourmaline beads.

I make the hammered frames from sterling silver or copper wire, and wire-wrap gemstones, Swarovski crystals and glass beads onto the chain and frame. They are oxidized, leaving the recesses dark, and the rest is polished to a bright shine. Each pair is a little different; each frame is hand-twisted and unique. If you see something you like, drop me an email or @ me on Twitter.

Earrings, sterling silver wire, rutilated quartz, labradorite, and freshwater circled pearls. Earrings, copper wire, lapis lazuli, and bronze glass beads.

I also make strung gemstone and beaded jewelry — necklaces and bracelets — but I’ll save those photos for another post.

I’ve had a few folks ask if my Etsy store is up yet — the answer is yes (but there’s nothing in it.) That will change after the 4th of July, and you’re welcome to contact me with custom orders and requests. I will be back to jewelry-making by July 10th; depending on what you want, I may need to order materials.

For the latest updates, keep an eye on this space, and sign up for the newsletter!

Launching My Jewelry Business (Part 1)

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Resin pendants by Many Faceted/Danielle RoseIf you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to, this past month, well…. [points to post title] I will be selling my jewelry (for the very first time!) at the Mt. Shasta 4th of July street fair, July 2nd and 3rd, from 10 am to 7 pm. If you’re in the area, come find my booth on Mt. Shasta Boulevard! I’ll be somewhere between Castle Street and Alma Street. (Bonus points if you bring me a latte.)

In this post, let me show you the resin pendants I’ve made, using washi, postage stamps, and things snipped from magazines and calendars. At the heart of each piece is an image or paper/pattern, creatively cropped. I sometimes layer multiple images, or embed Swarovski crystal rhinestones, watch parts, beads and charms in the resin.

Resin pendants by Many Faceted/Danielle Rose

I fell in love with resin last fall; there’s always more to learn, but I think I’ve got a pretty good process going. One more batch to finish, and I’ll have almost 100 pieces to sell!

Resin pendants by Many Faceted/Danielle Rose

When I mentioned all this on Twitter, Fusion Beads asked to see my work (I buy my bezel pendants from them), so I tweeted some of the pictures shown here. Their response makes me giddy:

I hope my work is as well-received when I get out there and sell! I’m pretty nervous, but excited too. Once the 4th is over, I’ll get started on Etsy, and see how it goes.

Next post, I’ll show you the beaded and wire jewelry I’ll have to offer. Stay tuned!

Weekend Wireworking

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Lariat necklace in copper, with various quartz and glass drops and beads, jewelry by Danielle Rose
Lariat necklace in copper, with various quartz and glass drops and beads.

Over the weekend, I attempted some wirework projects from my newest book find, Wire Jewelry Masterclass by Abby Hook. I started out making a wrapped wire toggle clasp, as the wrapped circle is used in the lariat necklace seen at right. While not a project I planned to make first off, the different components required, and the amount of components required, seemed like good practice for my wire techniques in general. (Hello, rosary loops. I made a whole bunch of you. I now see why there’s special combination pliers, just for doing this sort of work.) I believe I spent 5-6 hours on this, in the end, spread over two evenings.

Wrapped rings, in copper wire, jewelry by Danielle Rose
Wrapped rings, in copper wire.

Having finished the necklace, I tried a ring project, which took me two tries — the first one is on the right, the second one is on the left. There’s something kinda fun about the first one, but the wirework on the second is far better. Practice makes perfect! One of the hardest things about this project was finding beads of the right dimensions, drilled large enough for two wires to pass through. I think, were I to make more of these, I would order beads in advance, as almost nothing I had on hand sufficed.

A pile of lariat necklace, copper wire with quartz and glass drops and beads, jewelry by Danielle Rose
A pile of lariat necklace! Not the most flattering picture of the piece, but I like it anyway.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the results, especially the lariat necklace — if you’re unclear on how this piece is worn (I was, I admit), here’s some ideas and a video with more ideas (and Cajun music.)

The next jewelry how-to books on my horizon will probably be Weave, Wrap, Coil by Jodi Bombardier and Silversmithing for Jewelry Makers by Elizabeth Bone. The former has some projects I’d like to try; the latter has a lot of techniques (and is significantly less frightening, now that I been gone done it.)

Adventures in Jewelry Making

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Three (not-so-easy) pieces: silver bezel pendant with quartz drusy cabochon, brass ring, silver wire-wrapped pendant with granite cabochon
Three (not-so-easy) pieces: silver bezel pendant with quartz drusy cabochon, brass ring, silver wire-wrapped pendant with granite cabochon

Introducing a new topic with this post: jewelry making! In the past month, I’ve had lessons in two new (to me) techniques: wire-wrapping, and silversmithing. I mostly make strung jewelry — I took up beads and stringing in high school. Last fall I dove into wire work, and resin/collage pendants; I adore both. Even before I started beading, I recognized the practical advantages of knowing your way around jewelry, from making one’s own accessories, to basic repairs. Broken clasp? Need to change out those ear wires? NO PROBLEM.

On Tuesday, I came away from my first silversmithing lesson with a pendant… not just any pendant, but something I feel I might have purchased. Something I designed, and executed. I’ve made lots of jewelry I’m happy with — I’ll be starting to sell it, this summer — but I’ve never had quite the feeling I did upon completion of this piece:

Silver bezel pendant with quartz drusy cabochon
Silver bezel pendant with quartz drusy cabochon. Made by me!

I admit, I was terrified of metalsmithing. Oh, I wanted to try it, I’ve been thinking about it for months now. But… well, it involves fire. And machinery. Hand tools. And I am more than hair-brained clumsy skilled enough to thoroughly damage myself with any of those things. After months of being too afraid to pursue this next logical step in my jewelry making, I met a silversmith, Bob Sharp, at the Roxy Ann Gem & Mineral Show last weekend. He offers private lessons, and I found him a very patient, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic instructor. (We also seem to have very similar design tastes, which helps. He was loath to let my pendant out the door! Ha.)

The first thing I made was a brass ring, to practice soldering. (Bob was kind enough to polish it up for me; it’s sitting on my desk, along with my first resin pendant.) I’ve never welded nor soldered, except two stained-glass projects a long time ago, which I’m told is an entirely different kind of soldering. It was enthralling to behold; I’m fascinated by how the metal heats and changes color, and how the solder flows toward the torch. It seems almost impossible that it all starts with tiny strips and pieces of metal, and that the assembled piece cleans up so nicely! After a lot of filing and polishing, that is.

At the end of March, I took a wire-wrapping class taught by Terri Cosby, through the Crater Rock Museum. I’m pretty pleased with my first piece:

Wire-wrapped pendant, featuring a lovely granite cabochon
Wire-wrapped pendant, featuring a lovely granite cabochon. Made by me!

Wire-wrapping is pretty difficult to learn from a book (which is why I paid for the class, although it didn’t help that the book I bought is not very beginner-y.) Seeing it done in person was enlightening, and though I’ll need to practice quite a bit before I feel comfortable, I understand more of the mechanics. I think I’ll be able to follow my book more easily, having seen and made the correct wrist motions (things that static pictures can’t really capture.)

As I gear up towards my first major attempt at selling jewelry, I’ll post more photos of my work. Stay tuned!