Perfectly Twisted Handmade Wire Wrapped Beaded and Gemstone Jewelry

New! Tutorial, Antique Copper Earrings

2011-11-16T16:13:00.009-07:00

Just in time for holiday creating! Use fun beads and bright color in the wires
for a unique and easy to make holiday gift. The 'how to' on the long and decorative hooks
is included and I hope will spark wonderful new ideas to enhance the look of your earrings.
I hope you like ;) xo
Come visit the shop for more tutorials!

... meanwhile, in the garage...

2011-10-29T00:46:00.003-06:00

... what else does a cat of this size, do? ...

so I painted 'around' him...

... constellations
Leo
Cancer

... SiriuSly
;)

" the story of a garage "

hey you... Creative One

2011-09-25T11:18:00.014-06:00

I'm making cards today :))

greetings...

Some ideas I hope you'll enjoy. Easy to make... okay maybe not toooo easy but fun!
Scrapbook and origami papers. I make these up as I go, so there are no patterns, but with the origami paper, it's easy to imagine what 'hip' kimono might look like. ;) I love making these.

For the card body, I used 12 x 12 Tex Tureo Cardstock, which you can purchase at any local hobby store. This stack is called Far East and I got the from Michael's, the stickers too. A bit of imagination makes for a unique gift and a great time of it! Enjoy and have fun!

Remember these? From my previous post ... Sisters Origami

click to enlarge

Simplicity

2011-09-20T12:41:00.001-06:00

”... I’m a carefully calculated and well centered,
yet chaotically constructed complication called, Simplicity…”

hi.Q.can you see me?

updated;
it still applies

Paper & Copper Earrings

2011-09-20T12:33:00.002-06:00

Some other fun and inexpensive ways to create and be creative ;) Have I shown you these? Again, simple craft papers, creatively cut, glued into place, wrapped in shiny copper wires and finished with copper ear hooks. Many of these papers are from book marks I created once before and they make wonderful gifts.... there are NOT enough hours in a day and don't even ask, but I also research into why that is! ;)

Who needs a garage...

2011-09-20T08:49:00.040-06:00

Please note: my new email address

izzyzgumbo@gmail.com

The making of a 'studio' ;)

umm... yeah, I do jewelry in here too lol! Enjoy some older articles I've written on building a creative space...
Health and Posture at the Jewelry Table
Your Jewelry Workspace
Tools for Making Wire Wrapped Jewelry

Well I sure hope you have the space already cleared in your garage before you get started... I had so much stuff crammed into mine, I had to clear it out first! Anyway, after that.... I had a great time doing the rest!

FUN! ideas are these...
1. Clear the floor of crap and carpet or other funky garage floor coverings and try to find foundation... mine is cement and was there after the removal of an old carpet left from previous occupants.
2. Battleship grey is an awesome color to pour out onto a cleanly swept cement foundation and with roller on a broomstick handle, smearing such quick dry paint all over the floor is another delightful experience!
3. Sweep away nasty cobb webs and corners, don't look, don't think, just do ... and using large sunglasses or eye cover is a must! Sweep the ceiling without this eye protection and risk the idea of an icky spider filled something falling onto your face.... don't say I didn't warn you :) If you have a vac with hose, it's best.
and....
don't take yourself ... "SO SiriuSly!" (my painting above)... it's an ART STUDIO and will be a mess most of the time anyway. Have fun!

For the walls and my eccentric personality, I chose to use black chalk board paint and painted much of the wall spaces with it. Including a few seats and counter surfaces.... some old picture frames too for portable chalk board space and this wonderful stuff comes not only in black but also GREEN! And who can have an 'art studio' without whimsy things drawn all over the new chalk board walls. :)) what fun you will have... indescribable.

A few more...

2011-09-20T07:46:00.007-06:00

While I could have purchased hooks in the same color of wire and saved myself the time, I decided that I wanted a longer and more rustic finding, so I simply made them myself. Take a desired length of wire, create a small end loop, bend the wire softly over your pinkie finger to create a soft curve and use flat nose pliers to create a small bend at the end of the wire.

If your cut is not super clean, use a small jewelry file to clean off the wire... one or two times across a nail file will help smooth out the end as well and make putting the earrings on, more comfortable. Dare to use the unique and more rare stones, crystals and handcrafted beads even. ;)

I've got some new tutorials coming out soon... so keep checking back!

A few things

2011-09-20T07:20:00.009-06:00

I've been up to them... ;)

Using the fun and very inexpensive craft wires, you can create wonderful and abundant pieces to enjoy, share and even sell, without the fear of a breaking pocket book. I began with gold fill and silver wire but as I've moved forward, I've discovered the joy and freedom in using the colored coppers. I still use real and quality stones in the designs but had a great time toning down the 'dress'... more rustic and natural in antique and brass colored Parawire, which you can find at any online or local hobby store such as Michael's and Hobby Lobby. The stones are of Kyanite, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Moldavite, Charoite and Turquoise :) click the images for a bigger view

I hope my images inspire you to create and have a great time with it!
Please note my new email address
izzyzgumbo@gmail.com

new contact!!!

2011-03-06T08:22:00.008-07:00

PLEASE change the contact info if you're trying to email me, my new is

izzyzgumbo@gmail.com

Many smiles, inspire something and be inspired!

~ enjoy your rocks! ;)

LOVE... your creative Nature.

Origami Note Cards

2010-05-07T14:49:00.004-06:00

After a few days of making these wonderful little dolls, I decided to set them onto card stock and create unique note cards. They have three blank pages each inside along with a beautiful sheer envelope. Each card and Origami Geisha are created one at a time and each are one of a kind.

So that they don't get 'handled too much', I created simple packaging out of paper and some cute bee stickers. The cards can easily be seen but are also protected until purchase.

I've enjoyed them and hope they give you some creative ideas!

Many smiles and much love.

Sisters Origami

2010-05-05T21:03:00.003-06:00

I Sa Ya...

I spent the last two days making the Ladies and also some kiddie bookmarks for the shop. I hope you enjoy the ideas and I hope they inspire some fun times! These are wonderful and easy to make. The Kimono patterns are my own so probably not 'traditional' but I love them anyway. :))

Hugs! Wonderful days and bright smiles!

Hairsticks for Spring!

2010-03-25T09:47:00.012-06:00

The tutorial is now in my store! Click here to shop.

An easy and fun project using simple materials which can be found at any local or online craft store! I used simple wooden hair sticks that are six inches in length, beading glue, copper wire and some of my favorite seed beads. I strung the beads along thin copper wire and then using beading glue, attached them onto the hair sticks. I've sold quite a few of these at work and certainly I use them! They're beautiful, fun, easy to wear and very secure in holding up the hair.

If you've never worn them, it's easy. Wrap your hair into a bun, stick a stick through and use more then one! :)) I hope you enjoy the ideas!
Hugs and many creative days!

Altitude Adjustment...

2010-03-07T00:13:00.002-07:00

"What I do all day works..."
works much better than
"what i do all day is work".

:) Welcome to Spring!

FREE! Earring Hanger, Display, GemA.Tree Tutorial

2010-02-11T11:55:00.006-07:00

Well it's not like I've not been doing anything! :)) I created this small, fun and easy tutorial which I hope you'll enjoy! I've made many of these as gifts and just as a place to put my earrings. They're fun and the materials can be found in any craft store. Use your spare large wooden beads, large glass bobbles, mosaic tiles and crystals to create a variety of whimsy designs.

The file is a .pdf file and can be downloaded from my FREE TUTORIAL PROJECTS page

Have fun! Suggestions and comments are always welcome on my tutorials. I appreciate your eyes, your friendship and your time!

New! Wire Wrap Pendant Tutorials, In Time for Holidays!

2009-12-10T14:57:00.020-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope your holidays have been as wonderful and (as busy??) as mine have been :) It's been a while since I've wrapped with gold fill wire but it was such a pleasure to get my hands on it again. This amazing Pietersite cabochon, I've had a while and went back and forth with wire choice thinking that perhaps I'd try it in this or that, but in the end, it is easy to see why the color of gold suits this lovely stone. It's warm colors of rich browns, chocolates, golds and reds look delicious and rich inside of gold.

My Tear Drop pendant tutorial was just finished today so I hope you enjoy that as well! It's in the shop too!

My new tutorials can be purchased at my Etsy shop! I so hope you're tempted :)
Many smiles, much love to you and yours for the holiday and best wishes for the New Year!!!
2010... it's a good one. ;)
x

New Copper Pendants, Necklace & Earring sets!

2009-10-01T21:06:00.019-06:00

Click the images to enlarge

Well these are the latest! I've been waiting for the copper beads to come and they did today. I prepared the pendants a few days ago and then strung them up when the shipment arrived. I guess looking back, I started off right where I left off... with copper. It's such a warm color, easy to work with and works so well with many stones.

In these, I have tumbled stones of wonderful colors, I used brown leather cord, finished simply with copper wrap and for the focal beads, there are Lapis, Lemon Jade, Carnelian and Pietersite.
Whew! I'll be listing in the store soon but these might end up at the local shops instead... anyway...

They are meant to be worn as chokers and rather then using a clasp, I leave the leather 'unfinished' and they are worn tied. The bulk of the leather isn't uncomfortable and it holds better then anything! Easy to wear. I've sold them this way before and it seems to work out right fine. :) I always give an option for a clasp certainly, but leaving them this way also makes for easy length adjustments. Just wear them as you like!

I've also worked on some new simple but I think, elegant earrings and silver pendants. I'm liking the 'natural' look these days and I think it's starting to show in my pieces! I'll post more images soon.

If you're interested, all the copper pendants are created with the same basic wrap technique, which is easy and great to use with large focal beads that are drilled top down. I lost some tutorials when the computer crashed but have recreated the Butterfly pendant tutorial. :) It's listed in the store...I'm slowly starting to relist things.
Hugs! I'd love opinions if you have a second.

Click HERE to visit the shop listing.

Thanks for visiting!
Please contact me with comments or questions!
izzyzgumbo@gmail.com

http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

New Deschutes Picture Jasper Pendant!

2009-09-30T19:17:00.007-06:00

I'm revisiting my old ways and decided to purchase one of a kind designer cabochons again. I know all stones are really one of a kind but you also know that some are more magnificent then others and that's this one. I fell in love with it the second I saw it and even to the point of revisiting ebay to get it. whew! Haven't been there for stones in a while... but you'll see what I mean and I encourage you, if you wrap pendants, to visit Slabitcabit
His/their cabs are truly of wonderful quality. I've purchased several from them in the past and will continue. It didn't surprise me that when I found the seller, it was them. :)

I hope you love it! Click images to enlarge.

"Beautiful waves and unusual patterns in this classic material; a very unique gemstone!! A well designed and beautifully cut gem of this dramatic jasper from Oregon. This stone has a glossy high polish front and back and is professionally cut. It is slightly beveled. This stone measures 41x23.5 mm and is 4.2 mm thick, the weight is 29.5 cts."

Oh Happy Day!

2009-09-30T13:25:00.005-06:00

Computer tutorial update... I thought I had lost them all, some but not some... so I've been working on a new site, please visit me here also...
http://sites.google.com/site/perfectlytwistedjewelry/my-free-tutorials

It's a Google Sites, site and I love it for several reasons but most of all, because it allows for me to post files FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY! Yeah! Rather then reading the tutorials here, which is always wonderful, I can now also offer them for FREE download as a PDF file from my link above.

Please go there, visit and enjoy! I'm still under construction there, but please bookmark the page and watch for new projects and project files. Google Sites is a FREE tool, so for others of you who offer tutorial and project files, it's a great and easy to use...I recommend it. :)
Hugs and I'll be back soon with new jewelry images!

Peeks In...

2009-09-21T13:41:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! Well, quiet as I've been I'm still here and yes, I've been bending wire. :) Many new earrings are in the works and (gasp) perhaps even some new pendants. I'm sure many have heard, I've had a computer crash so the tutorials, while my intentions for backup were good, the files were not in the end.... so I did suffer the loss of those. Sighs. No worries, I still have camera and beads on hand and the sun always shines, so I can make more and again.

I hope to start blogging again regularly soon and show some of the new things I've been working on. In the meantime, I'd like to thank all of you for being here and not baling out on me. :) Time only permits so many things at once and so I move back and forth between those things that I do and it's jewelry time again. yeah! Holler.daze are coming and I'm making ready...

Love and hugs to you all.
Izzy.

OM Bookmark.

2009-05-02T22:51:00.003-06:00

I painted this with food coloring and glue.
~Enjoy a free book mark

~Click, save image, modify to size desired, print, cut out, glue onto stock paper or cardboard, paint brush all over with decoupage glue. Spray with decoupage sealer for gloss if desired.
~Enjoy :)

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
izzyzgumbo@gmail.com
http://perfectlytwistedjewelry.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Hooked On, Copper Wire Jewelry

2009-03-06T18:02:00.008-07:00

Well, just a few new projects finished, thank the goodness. My hammer is broken, so I started to string some of the amazing beads brought to me from Mexico. The Turquoise, once again, is from the most amazing Magpie and I loved using these Carnelian beads as accents. Very 'Egyptian feeling' to me. :) Again, using a simple leather cord, I create a casual 'finishing end' to the necklaces. Some are simply tied and believe it or not, the leather holds as well as any clasp.

A nice way to finish off leather, at least in my opinion, is by using a handmade clasp in a figure 8. The leather, I add wraps of 21 gauge wire, attached one side, but left the other lopped. It threads through the figure 8 like a slide clasp and 'catches' just enough to hold firm, because of the wrapping at the ends. Take a closeup.... I like doing them this way as it gives an easy and secure way to alter the length of the necklaces. The leather is not large enough to be 'bulky' when knotted at the back, but it is large and rough enough to 'hold tight. Sure, it'll come off if you yank on it, but most clasps will too if you tug well enough. :) It's a secure hold. Give it a try. These beads are a decent weight with the copper wires also and so I found this to be a nice surprise that a simple tie knot would work. The other copper clasp is simply hammered from 14 gauge wire as is the rest of the heavy copper in the designs. The accent wraps are all 21 gauge.

Click any of the images to enlarge. Enjoy the ideas and now I need to run off and list these.

Hugs and creative days!

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Copper Wire and Turquoise Jewelry Scarf Pins

2009-03-03T20:53:00.020-07:00

I love these and I thank a friend named Joyce, for the idea! I had a ball creating these as a friend of mine also makes wonderful knitted scarfs, so certainly, I ran right over to her and shared what I was working on. The knitted scarf you see in this image is from GinaCreations and you can find her new shop in Etsy. Check back there as she is still loading up the store with items, but in the meantime, I decided to get a start and made these pins to compliment her knitting projects. :)

They are created with one 14 gauge wire each for the frame, and then decorative 21 gauge wire for wrapping accents and adding beads. I wanted a nice way to accent the scarfs as well as making it a functional piece of jewelry to help secure the scarf. I've seen some versions of scarf pins where two pieces are used and for me, that would become a 'lost' piece over time, so I decided to create a design using only one piece of wire. These are simple and a basic 'hair pin' or 'safety pin' spring. They thread through the fabric and the decorative front acts as a 'paper clip' gripping some of the fabric as it slides on.

I used 14 gauge wire so that the pin will hold it's shape while worn and while being pushed through the fabric. The wire is thick and hard to work with for muscle, but in my opinion, to make a push through pin with any less a size will allow for the 'pin stick' to bend over time. I meant for these to be worn with thick cotton or decorative knit scarfs, sweaters and shawls. These are toooo thick for a silk or similar fabric scarf. Just FYI if you think to make some.
If you use thinner wire, I would suggest using HARD wire to make sure the pin stick keeps it's shape. Using stronger, but smaller wire will be more suitable for silk scarfs or fabrics that are not a knit.

Tip: the end of the pin is going through fabric and the front is laying on the fabric, so make sure you file ends off smooth so they don't catch the fabric while being put on or off. Same goes for tucking wrapping wires, etc. Tuck them clean and well as this is a piece to be worn on fabric and you don't want a snag nor do you want your wire coming loose after wear.

The tutorial,which contains all three projects is listed in my store! Please visit if you get a chance. Hugs and I hope you are filled with delightful ideas from this.

Click to go to the listing.

This tutorial is also available at JewelryLessons.com (in a couple of days anyway ;)

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

This is an image of how they are 'worn', but as fyi, they work well laying sideways also. The back 'pin' I left sticking out at the bottom more then should be, but so that you can see how it inserts into the fabric.

Like hair sticks. :) I wear them. Enjoy and show me if you make any! I'd love to see.

UPDATED: 3.16

I've had such a great response from these, so I thought I'd share the patterns. If you'd like to support the sharing and contribute, you are welcome to purchase the whole tutorial from my Etsy store, but if you think this is something you can do, then give it a try! I'd love to see your creations!

A friend said these would make great hair sticks also, if you wear them. ;)

Copper and Sterling Silver Wire Wrapped Jewelry In the Making...

2009-02-23T08:48:00.016-07:00

Well good morning again everyone! There's fresh coffee, tea, sugars and honey on the table. ;)

I've been head down this week working on a few things. One of them being learning about copper. I'll have a good article posted with links to a few sites and some information I found soon. I'm 'composing' while I create and learn. For now, I wanted to share some images of a couple new copper projects in the works. I have yet to finish earrings and such for these sets but by this weekend, they should be posted.

I find that copper is amazing with turquoise and finally, I have found a way to use the wonderful beads I purchased last year at Magpie Gemstones. The little focal 'Goddess face' there is porcelain and I also purchased this from Magpie. I'm afraid I don't remember the designers name, but I purchased three of these focals from Szarka last year and just love them. I'm glad I found copper to use with them. Check out her beads - amazing quality and the price was outstanding. I have to admit that I've used turquoise before, but didn't 'love it' until I got these strands. I also have some of her focal bone pieces which are outstanding and have waited to find the right application for them. I think copper is going to be perfect and those images are also, coming soon.

Thanks to Magpie! http://www.magpiegemstones.com/home.html

These images are sold but I hope they give you some great ideas. The bone beads, turquoise and porcelain focals are from Magpie. The first image below to the left... those beads are called Pietersite and they're an amazing blend of browns, tans and red colors. I think they all worked very well in copper. :) Enjoy!

These are some additional things in the works... just so you know I'm still here. :)

(the aqua aura pendant is listed. Click image to go there)

Okay everyone - back soon - many hugs!

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Mystery Beads.... and Copper

2009-02-17T20:53:00.012-07:00

I love the look of these beads with the copper and leather. My family brought them back from Mexico last year for me, but unfortunately, we've misplaced the name of the beads! They almost seem as though they are a clay of some type because the drill hole seems like a chalk or hardened clay, but... we were told they are stones of some kind. If you have any idea what these might be, I'd really appreciate the information. I've been searching for a while, but haven't found anything even close.

I hammered these copper pieces and then used a mixed color of copper to accent the metal. The necklace is meant to be worn close to the neck like a choker. I think, having chatted with some of you now on this, I might call them Artistic Beads if I can't identify them as a natural stone. They are just beautiful and I hope the images do them some justice.

Again - any further help with the beads would be great, if you recognize them!
Many hugs.

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

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Simple Hammered Copper Wire Jewelry Sets

2009-02-15T16:05:00.014-07:00

I spent a few days in thought with myself. Trying to find some simplicity in a time of confusion and change. As much as I love the rocks and beads... it was all just a bit too much for these days and so I found myself with copper. Just a simple spool of natural wire, a hammer and some brown leather cord. The rhythm of the hammer and the curve of the spirals took me away to a very quiet place. I found some clarity and I found some strength. These pieces almost made themselves as they helped me clear my mind. It's very hard in a time of change to remember and recognize that we ourselves, choose these changes. We are the energy behind the motion of our Universe and many times, we're not even aware of it. We wonder 'what happened' to us, when it fact, we acted upon our need and desire for change in our lives. We are the energy behind the motion of our Universe and I realized that I Create, my reality....

These pieces were comforting. Blessings and much love my friends.

Simple Copper Collection

Welcome new wire workers. Sometimes we find excitement in the jewelry we create with our hands and sometimes, we create to find peace. For me, clarity and peace were the inspiration for these pieces. A mind returning to the simple nature of Universe, the simple nature of 'Self'. I know it sounds funny to think hammering would bring peace of mind, but it did. :) Maybe not for my neighbors, but for me, I began to not even hear it... ha!

The designs here are simple, but this wire is thick (16 gauge) and it's not that easy to work with. Not difficult, but expect to need muscle for it. There was substantial bending and hammering just to get them to the desired look. The small loops are most difficult to make tight with this size wire, even if it be 'soft' wire. Take care when gripping the wires with your round nose pliers, hold onto them firmly and with strength, use the build of the pliers to bend that loop. For further loops in the spiral, a tip is now to move to flat nose pliers. Insert them into the small tight loop, grip firmly but careful to minimize scratching and work with both hands, to control the spiraling. Hold the loose ends of the wire close to the spiral loop and pliers, this will help you roll the bends. Remember to release and reposition your pliers to keep the looping controlled and so that you don't contort yourself.

Once you have your shape, use a flat head hammer and pound the wire evenly on both sides until you get the desired look for your pieces. You will need an anvil or a metal steel block to rest the wire against while hammering. Keep in mind that while you hammer, some loops will loosen and the wire will 'flatten' out slowly. Remember to use your flat nose pliers and keep the shape while hammering. You will find that the wire will also begin to harden the more you work it with the hammer and the 'shine' in the copper will begin to become slightly matte in finish. You might keep rubber coated pliers near, however I find them to slip. Using the metal pliers to hold the wire is the most secure for me, but again, risks scratching. Some buffing might be needed to finish your pieces. Enjoy and I hope this gives you some great ideas for the week. These items are new in my shop! Thanks for visiting.

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

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Featured Artist! ChezChani

2009-02-14T19:29:00.009-07:00

ChezChani is a wonderful shop full of bright, beautiful and unique designs. Roz and Elayne, a mother daughter team, create stunning works of glass, wire and finely beaded jewelry. They reside in the fabulous city of Las Vegas NV and reflect the fun and adventurous nature of that city in some of their jewelry designs. I absolutely love the playing card earrings and the Peyote stitch is mesmerizing in this black and white patterned bracelet.

Visit them and their outstanding art! Click any of the images to visit.

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

What Is Wire Wrapped and Beaded Jewelry?

2009-02-13T11:06:00.027-07:00

~PerfectlyTwisted
~My Gallery

The art of making jewelry using stones and natural materials from the earth, spans back thousands of years. Wire wrapping is one of the oldest techniques used to create jewelry and can be dated back to the years of BC. Samples from the Sumerian Dynasty and Ancient Rome show that they were using wired loops and wire techniques over 2000 years ago. The ancient Egyptian goldsmiths were credited as the first craftspeople to produce jewelry entirely from wire approximately 4000 years ago. The Vikings were knitting their wire into jewelry and making chains of metal wire.

The technique of wire wrapping specifically, normally does not include the use of soldering or adhesives to keep the stones in place or the wires together. The design in the wire and the placement of the stones within that, are the art of securing the stones in place to create a beautiful piece of unique jewelry. Patterns joining round ‘links’ or beads create unique and intricate designs that can sometimes even resemble or function as ‘fabric’. Chainmaille is one such example of this, in its most complex forms. Stitching with beads is another and sometimes known as 'seed beading'.

~Click the two images to visit ChezChani, one of my amazing jewelry artist friends. This is an outstanding example of pattern in bead work.

With no alteration to the ‘nature’ and only the application of imagination, are these amazing works created. The art is appreciated not only for it’s beauty but also because by way of it’s creation, it can only be done by hand. Machines can produce casts and presses to replicate jewelry designs for mass market. Machines can not however, create the intricate wire weaved designs found in wire wrapped jewelry and other fine wire art. This takes the hand of skilled Artisans and Crafts people.

When creating wire jewelry, all forms of drilled beads, loose rough rocks, polished cabochons, crystals and gemstones can be used. This includes other natural beads such as seeds, shells, wood, paper, blown glass and clay of various kinds. Corals, fossils, meteorites and synthetic stones included. This is part of what makes this art limitless. Many artists mix metals, wire sizes and types. Some include sheet metal designs, precious metal clay elements and even fabric.

Wire doesn’t stop at jewelry however. Many artists extend their designs into the home, beading lampshades, pillows, creating wire elements for the dinning table such as beaded napkin holders, candles sticks and wine glass markers. Drink stir sticks and hair decorations are other fun projects!

Not to mention… all of this as applied to weddings and other special occasions.

~Ardent Designs

There is a magical peace and joy that come with this art. To sit quietly with Earth’s elements, your imagination, your hands, some simple tools… and to challenge your mind into bringing those things together as an expression of yourself is something… almost indescribable.

I hope this inspires you when you shop for gifts, when you sit to create for your family or loved ones and when you consider ‘what to do next’ to creatively express yourself.

~Please see the links on my side bar to visit some outstanding artists and their creations! Thank you for visiting me also. :)

Blessings and Peace.

~PerfectlyTwisted

~My Gallery

~click the images to visit each amazing artist. Visit the links on my side bar too! Many artists, sharing, caring, learning, creating and exploring. :) Welcome!

eSMArt Team Store

~click to visit eSmarts Team Store, where our sales are always for good causes. There are many artists that I wanted to display here, but alas the time and all the images were too many, so please, visit the team shop and team blog to meet everyone.

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyzGumbo@gmail.com
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Reversible Carnelian and Copper Wire Wrapped Donut Pendant TUTORIAL

2009-02-08T18:42:00.016-07:00

Updated: 02.09.2009 Happy Full Moon by the way...
The tutorial is now up! Please shop me. ;D
~click to the listing.

http://perfectlytwisted.etsy.com

I hope this post finds everyone having delightful days :)
A favorite stone shape to work with is 'donut'... gotta love them for breakfast and they work great for wire also! I've just listed these three Carnelian pendants in my Etsy shop so please be tempted to shop! :) I'm working on the tutorials for these, so I'm hoping to temp you with the pendants first.

Made with one continuous three foot, craft copper wire, cutters, flat nose and round nose pliers. The copper wire is a fun look against the color of Carnelian stone and I think I'm quite happy with how these turned out. I hope it gives you some good ideas! All three of these designs are basically the same harness and bale. :)

I can see maybe adding some smaller wire and beads if I wanted to create more elaborate designs with this wrap style. The style of the wrap allows for the pendant to be worn on either side so the design possibilities are great and a reversible pendant is always fun to offer your customers!

UPDATED: I included the tutorial as a free gift with the pendant purchase. :) Enjoy! What a great way to start learning a new harness! With a 'physical' example. The tutorial included is the one above. It's all the same harness, you just elect your spiral positions and how many wraps around the stone. Each pendant comes with it. There are currently three with pendants and then three tutorials on their own. Keep looking for more!

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net

http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Coffee?

2009-01-04T16:05:00.030-07:00

I was saving this for today, but I'll deposit the image here with links and let you explore instead. I'll write on Selenite another day. ;) I'm having a bit of trouble taking an image of mine anyway, but you can check THESE out. Mine's not as biggie. ;) But mine 'does hold it's own'... they're just tricky to get image on... The surface of mine, I want to capture as close up as I can because the texture is very similar (at least to me) of looking at a circuit board... You'll see if I can ever learn to get a decent picture. How does one take photos of something that is similar to icecubes???
Back soon. xo

~Talk about Superman and his Fortress of Solitude!
~There is a 'Queens Chamber' named in this cave I believe (I'll have to review)... but,
I say this is WonderWoman's Fortress of Selenite then!
~It's about time we got 'ours'. ;) wink-et-blink... as I roll off my chair in giggles!

http://www.mineraltown.com/Reports/giant_crystals/giant_selenite_crystals.php
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/collectors_corner/arc/naicagyp.htm

Giant Selenite crystals in the Naica mine, Mexico... and yeah, that's a 'human' right there standing on that crystal. *click to close up

And Remember....
A Pyramid...

Has 5 'faces' and the 'bottom' or 'foundation' is always the EARTH.

~And from there, we grow again~

~we play to know again...

nous jouons pour savoir encore

~Via the Nature and then...
μέσω της φύσης και έπειτα

...jugamos y seamos amigo….again.

echo...

~we are friend.
we.meme

About Apatite and Zincite Crystals and Gemstones

2008-12-28T13:58:00.020-07:00

Go to the Pendant Listing
Well, as promised, I've found some time to return to the new pendants and share something about their crystals. I think you'll enjoy the information and I thank the sources for their information. Please visit my etsy if I temp you! ;)

~Moi Koi~
In Peace, We Are.

Meet.... Apatite and Zincite:

Perhaps this doesn't look like a Koi to you, but I assure you She is... all 'coi'. ;)

Sterling silver wire and beads surround the most amazing Neon Apatite and Zincite crystals! Intricate wire details and design make this a truly one of kind piece. The frame is 18g sterling silver wire with 24g and smaller in accents. A mix of 1mm and larger sterling silver beads are woven in and surround two Neon Apatite rough gemstones. They're stunning in color and AAA quality. A small but outstanding crystal of rare Zincite is tucked in along with a couple of peacock blue freshwater pearls.

Koi:
Koi, or Carp, are a fixture of Japanese culture and art and play important roles in both Chinese and Japanese myths, legends, fables and stories. In many of those stories, Koi are transformed through their efforts and perseverance, able to climb waterfalls or become dragons. The Koi fish represents perseverance in the face of adversity and strength of character or purpose. The Carp also represents wisdom, knowledge, longevity, and loyalty.

The 'story' of Apatite:
The name is derived from the Greek apatao, meaning "I am mistaken," because for a long time, it was confused with other stones. It is often confused with Aquamarine and Beryl which are both harder then Apatite. Apatite was not yet known in ancient mythology, it's often fascinating strong blue color only became famous in modern times. It also exists in white, yellow, green and orange. Apatite is said to encourage intuition during meditation and can stimulate memories of the past. When placed on the throat chakra, apatite produces a feeling of warmth and harmony and helps in overcoming problems.
~Healing Crystals and Gemstones From Amethyst to Zircon
ISBN 1-56852-442-0

Apatite is associated to Aquarius.
It belongs to the family of phosphate minerals.
Hardness 5
Found in Sri Lanka, Burma, India, Canada, Mexico, Brazil

I chose these gemstone for this Koi because of all the symbolism involved. "I am mistaken" ... one does not have to be 'hard' at heart, harsh in voice or tough in thought and action to create transformation and change. A 'new' form of individual thought patterns can create a better world, full of hope, harmony and wisdom. I chose Zincite to accompany the Apatite because it requires 'the fusion of man made and Natural' efforts to exist. Rare when such a unity can come together in the creation of such beauty.

Our human efforts to exist within ourselves, within our technologies, moving forward in personal evolution, while still honoring our past... in itself, is a rare blend of our being. We are each a 'drop in the sea'... and yet the sea can not exist without 'us'. We are humbled in Nature and yet Nature can not be 'grand' without 'us'. We are as rare, miraculous and special as any of the gemstones I use in Creation.
And as glorious science would tell us... we ARE, the gemstone.

~So enjoy Ourselves, as a Magical Koi~
~Slip away... between the the mesh~
~A fusion of life, endeared to the chest~

I thank the sources for the shared information and encourage your visit to their sites for further learning about these rare crystals...

Go to the Pendant Listing
The story of Zincite:
Borrowed from http://www.towercrystals.com/zincite/index.html

Zincite crystals of this caliber only come from the Zinc smelters of Poland. Red Zincite Crystals are the most sought and are getting very scarce. The naturally occurring conditions necessary to grow these crystals were created inside of zinc smelters so they are a fusion of natural and man made. Zincite crystals are no longer being produced due to changes in the smelting process. Some of the green and blue specimens actually will fluoresce under a black light.

Borrowed from: http://www.man.li/zincite.htm
Zincite can activate the lower chakra. This mineral provides help for synthesis of personal power, creativity and physical energies. Since our Zincite Crystals crystallised from the gaseous (fire) state directly to the solid state without ever becoming a liquid (unlike 99,9% of all other minerals which have been at some stage liquids in their thermal history). Since fire is the cognition of the transformation of the hard-physical to the hard spiritual, red Zincite getting big importance in our time of collective transformation into the cosmic Aquarian age .

The metaphor of a zincite crystal is that out of all the tragic, all the devastation and trauma something beautiful, valuable and desirable emerges! All that occurs follows a way and what happens follows a higher goal.

~ This piece of rare zincite is 'falling through' the 'Meme'brain'... and I won't explain why I named it what I did..., just know that it's all about creating new Uni-Verses. ;) Sharing ourselves in new ways with new patterns for growth, prosperity and social interactions. Best of all... it's all about the culmination of the human spirit into the 'greatest time' that human-kind will ever engage. We are re-discovering ourSelves....

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry!
Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Tutorial Beginner: How To Create a Twisted Wire For Wire-Wrapping Jewelry, Using a Pin Vice

2008-12-15T18:28:00.017-07:00

Most wire wrapping projects use either square or round wire. There are many techniques which can be applied to the wire before the wrapping process. One of them is to add a 'twisted' or filigree look to square wire. This is a short, free tutorial on how to create a twisted wire to use for your wire wrapping projects. Click on any of the images for a closeup view of the tools and wire used.

This is a pin vice.

There are a few ways to create a twisted look to square wire. The old fashion way is shown here and best used for 'smaller' projects. If you are twisting a foot or two of wire, this method is good to use, but if you are twisting many many feet of wire, then an alternative would be to use a drill head or similar type tool. In this tutorial, we are using a Pin Vice and flat nose pliers.

The pin vice I'm using is two sided and each 'bit' is designed for certain gauge wires. The most common gauges for wire wrapping jewelry are 21 or 22 gauge, dead soft wire, either square or round and 'half' round banding wire. The pin vice I have will work with most wire from 24g to a larger 18 gauge wire. If you are purchasing a Pin Vice or Pin Vice set, make sure that you get the tool appropriate for the gauges you work with.

1. To create a twisted look, you are best to begin with square wire. I normally use what's called Dead Soft wire. It's easier to work with when wire sculpting or wrapping then 'hard wire' is.
Twisting the wire will create more strength in the wire also.

2. The 'tools' used are flat head pliers and a wire twisting tool called a Pin Vice. As shown in the image, the wire slips through the pin vice and is held in place by screwing the head 'closed' around the wire. Working with 2 or three inches at a time is best.

3. Use your pliers, clamp down and hold the 'end of the wire. Holding the vice with your other hand, begin to manually turn the tool either toward you or away from you. Keep the twisting as consistent as you can. Count them per the 2 or three inches you are working with. The more you twist, the tighter the look.

4. After you have the desired 'look' for 2 or 3 inches, stop, loosen the vice, slide it back along the square wire, exposing another 2 or 3 inches of untwisted wire. Tighten the vice and move the teeth of your flat nose pliers to hold the wire now, at the intersection of the previously twisted wire section and the section to be twisted. Begin the manual twisting process again.

5. Continue these steps until all the wire length is twisted. You will notice that the new wire has much more strength to it then the previously untwisted wire. This technique adds a great look to wire projects but is also great to use when building bails. If your project is small and you are using thin, soft wire and need to add strength to the bail, the twisting method works quite well.

Pin Vices are not that expensive and can be found at most jewelry supply shops. I think I remember purchasing mine from Wire-Sculptor.com for less then $15.00

In one of the tutorial videos I've studied in the past, I also saw a technique where twisting could be done with an electric hand drill and pliers. The same concept applies. Make sure you hold onto the loose end of the wire tightly in your pliers, using a small hand drill as the 'vice', clamp down on the end of the wire and close the bit around it. Then turn the drill 'on' or using a finger trigger, begin the drill head on 'slow'. It will start to twist your wire at a pretty decent speed.

Enjoy! I hope this helps you get started with Twisting Wire.

New Beaded and Wire Wrapped Earrings

2008-12-01T19:18:00.030-07:00

Okay, I TOLD you I did something more than eat this holiday weekend right??? ;) Click to enlarge any of the images and excuse my poor photography.. I try.

These are a pair of beautiful Chalcedony drops which I strung up with oodles of Iolite chips and silver 1mm beads for some sparkle. They hang just about 2 inches long from the top of the earring hooks to the bottom of the beads. These and all of the new items below, are listed in my Etsy shop now, so please... DO SHOP! :)

These are fun for the holidays which I might be getting into the mood for. Normally, if you can believe...
I'm a 'Bahumbug'. Yes, true. ;)

My fave stones and some of the last that I have. These are some luscious Larimar drops in sterling silver. Hard to see in this image, but the stones are a bit 'deeper' then they appear here. There are four bands of 21g square wire around each of them. One secures the back, two wrap the sides and the first band secures the front of the stone. I'm not sure if I mentioned this for those new to wire, but ... many of us, I'd bet to say even most, secure the stones without adhesives. This is what makes them so wonderful to be hand made. The wire is the only thing holding them in place. To wrap a secure stone and make it attractive to show off the stone is always part of the goal for me. I've only been doing wire wrapped jewelry for the past couple of years off and on. I'm ready to get back into the groove of it and continue my learning. I added a link to JewelryLessons.com which I encourage you to check out! There are many wonderful, affordable tutorials there along with oodles of free tutorials provided by many wonderful artists. I hope to get my tutorial writing skills along with my wire techniques up to snuff enough to contribute there sometime soon. Meantime, mosey over and have a look. OH WAIT, go to my Etsy listing and shop for these amazing earrings first! lol! ;)

Amber's Twist...
Have I ever told you about liquid band aids? The best dang thing you will EVER discover if not. Wire people need this.. it's in the 'ouchy' section of the grocery store. Get the store brand it works just as well as the 'cost more' brand. I know this to be true. :)

Great for when you're a crazy wire worker and even when the fingers are poked, you continue...

Die hards we are!

This took hours and hours of loving care... most of these dangle bracelets do but they are so worth the time. I love the way they feel, the beads hanging in such a beautiful cluster at the wrist! I did the wire spirals myself which added all kinds of time to this, but... such as the pleasure of things. The spiral frames are done with hammered 18g sterling wire and then coiled in 26g sterling also. The beads are 1mm sterling silver and there are a mix of bali dangles and a Swarovski clasp. This Baltic Amber has a wonderful 'cognac' color which I think blends quite well with silver. It's a very 'rich' look in my opinion, warm and natural.
I love it.

And then here's something cool about Amber....

Wiki:
As reported by the Ancient Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus around 600 BC, charge (or electricity) could be accumulated by rubbing fur on various substances, such as amber. The Greeks noted that the charged amber buttons could attract light objects such as hair. They also noted that if they rubbed the amber for long enough, they could even get a spark to jump.

Amber can be used to make electricity.... who knew? \@shurgs@/
But I dig that little fact-toid, so I share it. :)

Last but not least...
MAW SIT SIT. I love the name of these stones. The black drops are Onyx, but the wonderful little green ones are called Maw Sit Sit and I love them for the name alone... and then yes, they're most beautiful also. Very similar look to Malachite... sick expensive... at least when I bought them. I hope not so today.

the whole strand of beads are 3 to 6mm beads. The ones that I WANTED that were two strands of 8 and 10 mm beads was... well, a four figure number to the left of the zeros... so I went 'cheap' and got a lovely small strand of them instead. Who has $3400 for a few stands of beads??? I'm convinced it was a typo on their site... but don't know for sure. Was long ago that I bought these and if I can find them again for something reasonable, I'll look to shop for more. Sometimes stones get expensive for a minute because they become popular. Sometimes it's because they're rare. These are more on the rare side.

They are similar in look to Malachite, but are a bit 'glossy-er'. Not for buffing, but there's a deeper or more 'neon' glow or something to the green. I'm not sure the image does them justice. Look em' up... you might enjoy them. If I have some time, I'll add some links here soon.
Mean while - I don't have time just now :)
I have to tend to me store else I make no money to shop for beads with!
Huggles you.
Til next time.
xo

Distractions...
I put this here because I KNOW you can tell how large he is by the count of bins he covers...
My Beast KC (Kitty Cat) in the formal. ;) ~click for a lifesize image... lol. And then there's some tail that you can't even see still! 22lbs of 'I rule the house'...
MAW SIT SIT:
Okay, I'm back... here are a few great reads on Maw Sit Sit...
http://gemologyonline.com/mawsitsit.html
http://www.nordskip.com/mawsitsit.html
http://www.penoir.com/stones/MawSit.html

Here's a quick clip:
Maw-sit-sit is an aggregate of numerous minerals found in the famous jade mining region of Tawmaw in the Himalayan foothills of northwestern Burma. The six main components are:
Chromite, ureyite, chrome-jadeite, symplektite, chrome amphibole, and a matrix of lighter minerals. This material is opaque to translucent with flowing veins of green and black. The matrix is dark green to black in color. Veins that are emerald green to intense neon green have occurred. http://gemologyonline.com/mawsitsit.html

Polymer Clay Incense Holder, Dragons and Amethyst

2008-11-29T07:13:00.037-07:00

Would you like a cup of tea? I think we should call the rest of this weekend an indoor, movie, cozy wire wrapping jewelry weekend. One of my favorite things is to stay cozy in slippers during a cold weekend, put some great movies or music into the DVD and make pretty things. I love these mornings also because the weekends are my given time to 'blog, bend, play, post, communicate'... etc. All those things we love to do.

Saw the family for ThanksGiving and ate like a horse. Two plates, twice the size of me ended with a helping of the Cherry pie too.... makes for no eating at all yesterday. Dad cooked an outstanding turkey, Geo made outstanding, all the rest of the food. ;) and all the brothers, uncles and related kids were there. Fun to watch them... they grow like weeds. I love my family. :)

Dad took up the carpet and found perfect hardwood floors under it. So that was fun for him to show off too - the house looks great! They're off up the mountain next weekend to cut our Xmas trees. I like natural fresh trees during the holiday... nothing wrong with farmed or artificial either but I dig the smell in the house. mmmm....

Anyway... So yesterday I hung out with just me and gave my numbers the day. Made charts, read up on this thing called the Electro Magnetic Coupling Constant and something else on Notable Properties of Numbers... saw some friends for holiday hugs and kisses and then overfed the animals since it's an eating kind of holiday. :) We're all enjoying.... besides, they were making fun of me again. I busted them mid-mischievous tho, so they get no more turkey. You can witness the whole thing here...
http://13cattails.blogspot.com/

Those little dragons, I made a while ago and have given them all away but for the couple I kept for ME. They're super easy to make and so I think they might be a Sunday project or something I save for next week. These are great fun, very easy and here's all you need to do:

Make a 6 inch weeny rope of clay, one side narrowed to a point. Get the lump of clay into a nice round ball and then begin to roll it out with your hands.

Use the end of a small straw to poke crescents into your roll of clay. Try to alternate them like you would lay bricks. This makes them appear more 'scale-ish'. lol.

Use the end of a small paint brush and stick it up the nose to make nose holes. :)
Gently push a couple of hematite beads into the eye sockets. For these, I used 5mm beads.
Add some other beads as decorations around the head if you like. Be creative with seed beads, 1mm silver or gold beads, use wire wrapped beads or coils.... You can add more clay for 'ears', lumps, wings, legs, what ever you imagine your dragon to be.

Coil the tail end in a creative way as a 'pose' and cook your creation in 275 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Polymer clay cooks through 1/4 inch in about 15 or 20 minutes, so because these are thicker then that, I added an additional 20 minutes. If the clay isn't fully cooked, it can be weak and brittle. After a thorough baking, the clay becomes a very hard and durable plastic. You can sand, paint, spray with a glossy or matte finish....

The tail needs to either be coiled to hold the incense stick so remember this when creating the pose for your little dragon. You can optionally put a lump of clay as a 'rock' base and poke holes appropriate for the sticks. I did this in a few of them and it provides you the place to add more wire and/or beads, small twigs or moss... many things.

I added some amethyst stones on a few of them and just love the look. I used rough Aquamarine on a few, rough Kyanite (which was really cool) on one I kept and a few have various quartz crystals.

Have fun! I'll post new images when I get some more made.
Click that image for a super close up so you can get details. After they're cooked and hardened, I spray some with a matte finish. I tried glossy but I'm not sure I like it as much as the matte. Both are fun for variety and everyone loved them.

Well ladies and gents, I'm off to be with my morning coffee and wake up reading. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

((((Squeeeeeze)))) my big mushy hug to you. I'm gone to the bead table!
xo

Charoite Sterling Silver Wire Wrapped Earrings

2008-11-22T18:33:00.022-07:00

I love this detailed wire wrapping but wow does it take time. I'm using 26 gauge square wire here for the wrap rather than round wire and I'm finding that I enjoy using the square wire more. I think I have more control over the bands and they lay flatter... personal pref on that, but for those new to wire, you'll discover that round wire is great for some applications and square wire for others. There are various gauges and colors and metal types to choose from and you will soon come to find your preferences of wire for the various projects you make. I like to use 18g round wire as frame wire. I normally hammer the wire frame to add strength and I like to use 26g as the banding wire and like I said earlier, the wire used here is square. The silver accent beads are 1mm sterling silver as are the earring hooks.

Tiny wires, many hours... These are deceptive in their simplicity for they took a very long time. I found that when wrapping the frames, it was easier for me to make a few wraps, then take my flat nose pliers and do just a quick 'tap' to make sure they stayed flat and tight.

The center stones are Russian Charoite and the color is natural. Can you believe??? I love this rock and have made many wonderful pieces using it.

Click the image to enlarge and get a close look. The tops of the frames are wrapped in a 'cap' style because I felt it gave a nice look and also provides a place to tuck in the back wires neatly.
When building your jewelry, I always like to advise that you give some visualization to how you might 'finish' ends or where you are going to tuck the ends of wire. If you are working from a tutorial, then this becomes less important and you can make note of how the tutorial finishes the ends. But when making pieces of our own design, I sometimes forget to give thought to this because my eyes are so full the bead candy that I didn't normally give much thought to the finish. Over time, I've learned that it's just as important as the focal point. I've been training myself to think of the findings as part of the whole design and it's become much more now then to just 'add a hook'. I've found that I enjoy creating new ways to close up my pieces and I really like challenging myself to find 'neat' ways to tuck away the wire. It adds a stamp of quality to your project and your piece of wire jewelry, when you or your customer can wear it, without feeling the 'scratch' of a loose end!

Wire Wrapping Tutorial: Beginner: How to Make Beaded and Crystal Wire Hair Spirals

2008-11-19T14:43:00.026-07:00

This one is really fun and very easy to do. They are completely decorative so don't expect them to actually hold any hair. These add decoration to the hair, a little sparkle, a little pearl, a little crystal... great for party hair or wedding hair or just fun to make with the girls. You wear them by 'twisting' them into a lock of hair. This is an amazing look to decorate an 'up'-do for a wedding or night out. These are small, so you wear several of them, strategically placed for desired hair blinging. Great to sparkle up braids also. Enjoy!

It's a basic, very wide spiral, using a thick gauge wire and adding some fun beads. Click the images to enlarge.

You Need:
1. Round nose pliers
2. Flat nose
3. File
4. Cutters
5. 4 inch long, round, 18 gauge, soft wire. (hard is fine too)
***You'll need one wire per each of these you want to make.
6. 1 foot of 26g, sterling, round, soft wire.
7. 1 foot of 28g, sterling, round, soft wire.
8. A bunch of small, fave beads, 3 to 5mm.

1. After you cut your wires, be sure to file the ends to get the rough edges off.

2. Then using your round nose plier, create a loop at one end.

Preview: You can create the spiral first and then attach the beads, or you can leave the wire straight and create the spiral as you go. Take a look at the images ahead and get an idea of what will work best for your design.

In this project, I am coiling around the gold, so this for me, is easier to do before I spiral the gold.

4. After creating the first loop, anchor a 6mm Swarovski crystal (or your fave bead) to it using the 26g silver wire.

For something that's going to be in hair, something that catches the light and gives a little sparkle is nice. Wrapping the gold fill wire with silver adds to this also.

5. To anchor the bead: Make a bend in your 26g sterling wire, one inch from the end, bringing the short end together with the long end. Thread the entire wire through the center of the bead. The loop made by the wires coming together will form a 'kink' at the end of the bead and keep it from passing through. Anchor it to the gold loop by wrapping with the short end of the silver wire.

6. Using the long end of the wire, coil around the gold in a consistent and even wrap. Stay close and tight to the gold and coil until you are about 2 inches from the other end. Make sure to tap the end of the silver wrap with a flat nose so that it's not sticking out. Taking a minute to tuck the ends in, makes always for a nicer project.

7. Using the 28g sterling wire now, anchor it to gold loop under your bead. Make a couple of tight wraps and then add a 1mm silver bead. Make a couple of tight wraps, moving 'forward' and add another bead. Work like this until you add as many as you like. In this case, I added 11 of the 1mm sterling beads.

8. Thread a 4mm crystal bead and begin to move in the opposite direction, back toward the spiral center. Add another 4mm crystal, wrapping around the main wire to anchor each time.

9. Add a couple of pearls or some other silver beads or some seed beads... have fun with it.

10. I added two small freshwater pears and then finished it up by anchoring the end of the wrap wire under the main center bead. Neat and clean.

11. Take your round nose and create a loop at the unfinished end of the wire. Gently 'pull' and create a spiral by moving around the center cluster. Adjust with your hands until you get a neat spiral.

12. Push the bead cluster forward just slightly from the end. The next image shows the finished project.

That's it... Twist into a lock of hair and be beautiful. :) Make many of these in fun ways using many types of wire and beads. I used gold and silver but you can use craft wires and copper for more casual hair wear.

Enjoy! Thanks for visiting here.

Wire Spiral Earrings in Gold Fill and Silver!

2008-11-16T18:21:00.028-07:00

I like doing these little bead-less wire projects because it gives me ideas on what I can do WITH the beads! Buying earring and bracelet parts are a great way to start or work if you don't care to do wire, but for those of us who LOVE wire... building our own clasps, hooks and other findings can be fun. It gives you a way to create your own designs also. Sometimes I have ideas for something but can't find that perfect clasp or station... so I end up looking to make my own. You can imagine how many ways I can add beads or additional wire to these earrings. I can wrap with fine wire, add gold, silver or gemmy beads, I can hang chain and a bundle of pretties from it... many things! I can also just leave these as they are and they make a pretty, simple and unique pair of earrings.

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing!

Enjoy!

I apparently have spiral@itis this weekend. ~Crosses eyes ;)

Ohhh... ps... speaking of spiral@-I-tis

I just put out some new digital wallpaper. Have I mentioned I'm working on rebuilding the Uni-verse? ;) Click here to my photo Share blog.

Here's a link to my Picasa

Click the images to enlarge. I give these away, so enjoy it on your desktop! Or if it works for you, feel free to use it as a backdrop to your jewelry photos. Kinda funky but fun.

~Does Electricity have a voice Mr. E?

Wire Wrap Earrings Tutorial: InterMed: How To Make Three Spirals, Wire Earrings

2008-11-16T11:21:00.043-07:00

These might take a time or two. They're great to use for anything but perhaps the spirals take some practice. I'd recommend craft wire until you get the feel of it. Otherwise, this is my THIRD tutorial! Hooraaay! I hope you enjoy them.

The finished project are the wire spirals in that photo. Useful for earrings of many fun kinds!

Click on any of the images to enlarge.

You'll Need:
1. Round nose pliers
2. Flat nose
3. File
4. Cutters
5. 2 Gold Fill ear hooks
6. 2, 18 gauge, soft, round, gold fill wires, cut to 6 inches each.

1. After your wires are cut from the spool, get them as straight as you can by rubbing them once or twice. This will also add a bit of tension to the wire.

2. File the ends a time or two to smooth the cut end.

3. Take the round nose pliers and create a bend about 1.5 inches down one side of the wire.

4. Then using your round nose plier, grab the end of the wire and create a tight spiral, moving in the opposite direction as your first bend. Pause and see the next image.

5. This is what you should have. Creating your spiral in this direction creates a nice natural soft "S" shape to the wire. You will create about 2 full turns. This will be tightened up later so don't sweat it.

6. Remove the pliers from the loop and grab the loose end of the wire about 3/4 inches down from the loop intersection.

7. Grab the wire with the 'small' end of the plier and create a tight loop, over lapping the wire on the 'top'. Click that image to enlarge and get a good look. Bring the wire around, the best that you can. This is where you might have to muscle it a bit. You are going to create another spiral above the 3/4 inch straight part. This requires that you wrap this wire above it. Once you get the first bend around the center loop, it will be easier to get your flat nose pliers and continue the spiral. See the next image for a glance ahead.

8. Continue to spiral three complete turns and the spiral will grow to almost meet the first one.

9. Once the second spiral is created, take the round nose pliers and grab the top of the loose end. You're about to make the final spiral.

10. Create this spiral moving in the opposite direction as the second one. You are creating the shape of an "S" in between them. Use your flat nose pliers and gently continue that spiral until you meet the intersection of the first two. This will require a little muscle also and patience. You need a firm grip, but gentle enough to not scratch your wire. Take your time and manage control over the shape. Adjust your loop and first spiral as you go. the goal is to create a 'threesome' as evenly as you can.

11. This will be the finished set. Here's a word of forward thinking... when making earrings, and especially so with wire spirals... keep in mind that one earring goes in 'one direction' and the bends of the other, go in the other direction.

It's not harmful if you make two pair the same, or if the spirals are a little off...it's the charm of handmade... but it is something to be aware of.

Now, I didn't 'finish' these because I wanted you to see how many things are possible with this simple design. Click to enlarge that image. I show the backside on the left and the front of the earring is the one on the right. You have a small intersection where you can attach all kinds of fun beads.

You can put a small chain of three or four links on these, string up a number of these beads and create a few different looks. You can also use this technique by using longer wire and adding a couple more turns in the spirals, to create a pendant to match the earrings. Adding a couple more turns will create a slightly larger version of these earrings. Nice for a matched set. Remember that you have that 'straight spine to the back of the earring to attach anything you need. I made these loops at the earring tops larger because I like to wrap with a silver half round wire, but you can optionally make that loop smaller, the spirals larger... have fun with it and try different things for your own look. I'm hoping that this simple multi-spiral project will give you something versatile to play with!

I'll post mine when I get them done. This looks great in silver wire also! Something I like to do with earrings lately is mix the metals. I think the larger gold wire accented with silver half round is cool look. I think that's what I'm going to do...

Have fun and thanks for visiting here! Now I have to remove my beast and finish my earrings. You see why I can be so disorganized? Half my beads leave the table in between her toe nails.... sheesh!

~ Okay, here are my finished pair. I added some half round silver wire in 21 gauge to the top to give some substance and shine there. Then using the back spine and some thin silver wire, attached these two AAA 8mm, Iolite, briolette beads.... ooolala! I hope this project gives you some wonderful ideas!

~ Polish off the paw prints, put into a cute white bowl (yes that's what my 'background' is), get some photos ... and poof! Another wonderful pair of earrings ready for holidays or any daze! ;)
Enjoy and have fun with these.

Wire Wrapped Earring Tutorial: Beginner: How to Make Spiral Swan Earrings

2008-11-15T12:21:00.014-07:00

Here is another little earring tutorial that I hope you enjoy. These don't take that long to make, are pretty simple and make a wonderful pair of earrings. It's a versatile wrap because this can be done with many different types of beads, doesn't require a lot of wire and allows you some room to be creative with either side of the earring. Offering a customer a 'two sided' pair of earrings or a pendant wrapped that way, makes for a bonus reason to buy your jewelry! Plus it allows for you to enjoy both sides of the finished stones. Sometimes, it's hard for me to 'choose the front'. ;)

'Swan Earrings' - This will be the finished project. It'll take you about 20 minutes or 30 minutes. Once you get the hang of this, it'll take you way less. You can make many pair of these in a very short time.

Click any of these images to enlarge.

You'll need:
1. Round nose pliers
2. Flat nose
3. Cutters
4. File
5. Two beads with holes drilled 18 or larger gauge (sometimes a visual will tell you if your wire will fit that hole).
6. Two gold filled, round, soft, 18 gauge wire, cut to 4 inches each.

1. Take the end of a wire with the round nose pliers. Get a firm grip about one quarter inch down the nose of the pliers.

2. Roll the pliers toward you as close against the wire as you can. You want as 'round' a center bend as you can get. But don't sweat it if it's not 'perfect'. That's the charm of hand made jewelry. Just try to be careful not to 'nick' the end.

3. Once you have a nice bend and center loop, gently turn the pliers to create a spiral. Once the first turn is made, it will be easier to get the flat nose pliers and continue the bend.

4. With your flat nose pliers, take the wire firmly but careful not to scratch. Hold onto the loose end close to the plier to maintain control and continue to roll the spiral (about 2 complete turns).

5. In this earring, we are leaving a small 'air space' in between the spiraled wire. This makes room for the earring hook to attach later. It also is a nice affect. In some cases, to add strength, we might have used a hammer to flatten the wire a bit, but in this case, the beads are not heavy and the wire is thicker. These will hold their shape without worry.

6. Once the spiral is complete, thread the bead. You are going to bend the spiral end 'up' to rest on the center of the bead. With your eye, gauge the appropriate distance. Normally, this is just a smidge shorter then the length of the bead. Remember, you can always tighten up that spiral a bit if you need.

7. Hold onto the bead with one hand and at the same the lose end of the wire. Take the spiral with the other hand and push it up and tight against the side of the bead. As an option, you can do this bend using the round nose plier to make the initial curve. I just find that if you can bend around the bead, it makes for a more natural line in the wire, in the part I call the 'neck' of the Swan.

8. Now here before you cut to shorten the end, keep in mind that you have some creative room. In this example, we're just going to make a simple single turn loop to close up and add a small spiral. You can optionally leave that wire longer and create a tight, larger spiral to cover the bead center if you like that look.

9. Using the round nose pliers, put a spiral into the unfinished end. Use the steps above to remember how to spiral. ;)

10. Leave a small amount of 'bending' room in the wire. Bend the spiral up and onto the bead. Do you see how this makes either side of the earrings 'wearable'? If you get the type of ear wires that allow for an open 'S' curve in the end (or you make some), then you have a 'two for one' pair of earrings.

11. Add your ear wires, rub off your finger prints and enjoy!

Link to my tutorials only page

Email: PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
If you have question. :) I'm new at writing these tutorials, so any comments would be great.

New Wire Wrapped Pendants in Silver!

2008-11-13T17:31:00.033-07:00

~click to enlarge.

Have you ever had one of those days when your hands just want to bend wire without the plan part? So then your eyes conspire and you sit in a total blank gaze, staring at the stones wondering why you can't figure out a design today...

Then all of a sudden... the roll of a dice! Your hands begin to move, the wire is being cut in some kind of furious whirl, beads are being pulled out of bins, 1/2 round is being cut without measure, scotch tape is everywhere....

Yep, that's what just happened to me again over the past few hours. I twisted up two pendants and mangled another piece that I have sitting in that pile of 'projects on hold'.

These two are what I managed to finish. The images below show front and 'back sides'.

Wire can be a very deceptive thing. You wouldn't think there is over 4 feet of wire in each of these, but there is! I used 21g sterling silver square wire with 21g 1/2 round for binding. Those gauges are within the 'normal' when wrapping med to larger sized cabochon. The banded agate pendant (purple) is approx 2 inches long and just over 4mm in width. The other geode is approx 1.5 inches at it's widest point and it's approx 10mm in depth. With the bails, the length on each is increased about half an inch. My bails, I like to make closed, but large enough that most chains can fit through. I don't make an open bail unless I need to hook the pendant over beads. I'll have to share a nifty trick I learned from Preston ( http://www.wire-sculpture.com). He makes the most wonderful little pendant hooks that easily slip through a closed bail, which you can then hook around a string of beads. BRILLIANT way to use those 2 inch to 4 inch wire scraps you sometimes get when trimming ends.

Overall, chaos no plan times are fun. You never know what will come out of your brain. One of a kind designs for sure... I ended up totally loving these even though I didn't mean to create them today and had no plan when the wire went on.

Sighs... as much fun as that is, please take note when I say, it can be a very expensive indulgence of creative spirit also. I've mangled, had to cut away and wasted many feet of wire over time doing this. It's best to have a game plan when cutting your wire and starting your project. But, sometimes it's just amazing to explore what you don't know is up there. Try it... you might dig it. :)

I hope you like these. They are now listed in my Etsy store! Please see the side panel for a quick link to the listings!

New Wire Wrapped Earrings in Gold Fill and Sterling Silver, Now in Etsy!

2008-11-10T09:51:00.074-07:00

Holler Daze are coming... (rolls over giggling!) ~
I had a ball creating these as they're a 'new style' for me and I think I love them! The tiny wire wrapping, coiling I think they call it, is a very popular technique these days as it should be! I personally love it and am set to learn more about how to wrap this way. So much to learn, so short on wire! Ikes! I managed to get these finished and am in the works to find more wire and put a few new pieces together. These are in my Etsy store now so please SHOP to your hearts content! :)

Something to think on during the holiday months....

What to do with 'left over' jewelry??? Or jewelry that didn't sell in the year?

Q. What happened to all my 'old' earring styles and pendants from last year?

A. Well, like every November... my left over pretties go directly to the Child Protection Services Christmas auction. My good friend is a Saint and puts this auction on every year to raise money for the needy kids (she's like Mrs. Santa Clause). ;)

Her mission is to get people, businesses and friends, to donate items to the auction so that oodles of money can be raised for the kids. It's always ALWAYS, my pleasure to give her pieces at the end of my year. It makes me feel really good that my little work, my designs, my effort, contributes to the well being of these children. Thanks to Jacqueline! ....for all her amazing energy and effort.... and for allowing people like me, to give with the labor of our love. She can raise by far more money for those children in that auction with my pieces, then I could ever give her directly in cash. It's a blessing to me.

It's a win, win situation also because in addition to the warm and fuzzy love that goes on when giving your jewelry away to good causes... you can also get a nifty tax deduction thank you letter. It's wonderful to give. :)

I work as a software tech for a non-profit organization and am always trying to give with my time or artwork in some way. I would recommend that rather then getting a buck or two reselling old beads that you don't want or can't use.... take a minute, string them up into something cute anyway and GIVE them to the local non-profit fund raisers or auctions. Your left over beads will be worth much more then a buck or two this way. Much more in appreciation and love. Not to mention your business card can be attached to each donated piece. Great way to market your name and show your heart.

It never escapes me, that for every beautiful gemstone I use, there was someone's back breaking effort to get that stone 'out of the mountain' or earth... Many Someones...

I honor that by not forgetting where they came from... and by trying to give back in a positive way ... what I don't use. Remember that if you are working with Natural products... they came out of our Earth.

Hear with your EAR th
Share with your e ART h
Love with your HEART...
What is precious from our EARTH

Smiles!

RED: Earth / Smell : "I am"
Root chakra, First chakra - lies between the rectum and the genital area. Activity, energy, stamina, joy in living, sexuality, love

Qualities: Full acceptance of life on earth, survival, power to achieve goals, vitality, grounding, satisfaction, material security, stability, primal trust, stillness, courage.

Hooray! A light bulb.
See what bending good wire can do for you?

And finally.. the earring of Purple!

Passion in Purple Amethyst, Sterling Silver, Beaded Bracelet

2008-11-08T17:13:00.005-07:00

This little bracelet was so much fun to make but wow... did it take a while. :) Don't they all?

When I found these AAA quality Amethyst briolette beads ... I just had to have them! They are soooo lovely and especially with the Labradorite and Hematite accents. I find these colors go really well together and are soothing to me. I made it 8 inches long on sterling silver chain. I used a sterling clasp, sterling accent beads and headpins also.

My current mood is in the Purples and violets. Check out my Chakra post for information on color energy.

I'm going to take the extra time and try to make a few more of these (I went on a briolette buying spree a while back and picked up a few strands of various fave stones). I have some great Aquamarine and Spinel that I can't wait to wire up!
I splurged and they're all AAA quality and just stunning. These bracelets just take many hours of finger mangle, but they end up worth the whole effort.

I love the way it feels on my wrist too.. I'm such a girl. (winks at you)
But, they're fun to wear... elegant, feminine and even a little mischievous.

I'm working on the earrings but they're not done yet. In the meantime, this is also listed in my Etsy shop if I can dare tempt you... ;)

Click the images to enlarge them.

VIOLET: Thought : "I understand"
Crown chakra, Seventh chakra - located at the top of the head. Purity, sincerity, clarity, truth, perfection, enlightenment, understanding. Qualities: Perfection, integration / unity with the omnipresent, divine wisdom and purpose, universal consciousness, bliss, understanding, enlightenment.

Terrific Turquoise and Shell Beaded Dangles Bracelet

2008-11-06T14:20:00.008-07:00

Yet another finger numbing project, but I love the color of turquoise and golden browns together... why? I dunno, but just look at this bracelet! It's wonderful! Natural, casual, fun. Just the way I love to be. :)

This is 7 inches long, using the most delicious turquoise and shell beads, sterling silver chain, clasp, accent beads and headpins. Earrings are coming! I'm in a bracelet mood the past couple of days so until I get into the ears mood... this will have to tempt you enough.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Delightful Dangles Beaded Wire Chandelier Earrings

2008-11-06T07:12:00.010-07:00

Sometimes a girl just wants to whip out a pair of beautiful earrings! So I did. :) These are beaded on gold vermile with bright and wonderful Peridot stones, labradorite chips and gold fill ear wire. I used gold fill wire in the attachment of the stones also. Sometimes it's hard to find applications for really really tiny beads but this was a perfect way to use them I thought. Earrings are a great place for those wonderful tiny stones that might escape attention when strung on a bracelet or necklace with other larger stones.

I put AAA Iolite briolettes in the centers which I thought filled these delightful dangles up with more eye catching color. They're WONDERFUL on the ears.

I had a 'tiny treasures' mood once so I picked up all these wonderful strands of 3mm gemstones and have been itching to use them.

I hope you enjoy these.

VIOLET: Thought : "I understand"
Crown chakra, Seventh chakra - located at the top of the head. Purity, sincerity, clarity, truth, perfection, enlightenment, understanding

Qualities: Perfection, integration / unity with the omnipresent, divine wisdom and purpose, universal consciousness, bliss, understanding, enlightenment.

GREEN: Air / Touch : "I love"
Heart chakra, Fourth chakra - lies in the middle of the chest. Warmheartedness, friendship, openness, freedom, harmony, peace, empathy, self renewal.

Qualities: Unconditional / divine love and harmony, forgiveness, healing, compassion, understanding, transformation, warmth, sharing, sincerity, devotion, selflessness.

Kool Kyanite Wire Wrapped Earring Ideas...

2008-11-05T22:22:00.005-07:00

To bead a perfect earring is to be a Goddess. *winks*
I love Kyanite and it fails me not, when I make ANYTHING Kyanite, it sells. These are all gone, but I wanted to share a simple and wear with all design for earrings. I wanted to make some nice quality, everyday earrings that carry a subtle 'spectacular' about them, somewhat quick to make and something that I knew would sell. Let's be truthful... we love to make jewelry but how else do we support our bead habits if we don't sell our work!

If you're looking for great sellers and easy making, quality earrings, give Kyanite a shot. Everyone loves it not only for it's beauty, but also for it's energy.

Click to enlarge the image.

BLUE: Ether / Sound : "I speak"
Throat chakra, Fifth chakra - lies at the base of the throat. Faithfulness, loyalty, openness, freedom (light blues), responsibility and respect for others (dark blues)

Qualities: Free / creative self expression, communication, inspiration, confidence, integrity, wisdom, truth, freedom, Independence, access to subtler levels of being.

Chakras Rocks Color and Stone Meanings

2008-11-04T10:03:00.002-07:00

What's a Chakra?
Chakras are energy centers that run up the center of the body (normally shown up the spine) to the top of the head or what is called the 'crown chakra'. The chakra link the subtle, electromagnetic inner bodies to the physical body. There are seven major chakras. There is also an Earth chakra below the feet, a higher heart chakra just above the heart and the higher crown chakra just above the head.

VIOLET: Thought : "I understand"
Crown chakra, Seventh chakra - located at the top of the head. Purity, sincerity, clarity, truth, perfection, enlightenment, understanding

Qualities: Perfection, integration / unity with the omnipresent, divine wisdom and purpose, universal consciousness, bliss, understanding, enlightenment.

Musical Keynote: B (Ohm)
Glands: PINEAL : controls cerebrum, right brain, central nervous system, right eye.
Gemstones: Alexandrite, Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Selenite
Aromas: Lotus, Olibanum, Rose, Spruse

INDIGO: Light : "I see"
Forehead or 'third eye' chakra, Sixth chakra - lies above the top of the nose, center of the forehead. Insight, spirituality, transformation, determination, peace and devotion.

Qualities: Inner vision, intuition, insight, clairvoyance, imagination, extrasensory perception, idealism, concentration, peace of mind, projection of will, manifestation.

Musical Keynote: A, Ee
Glands: PITUITARY : endocrine system, left brain, left eye, nose, ears, sinuses, areas of the nervous system.
Gemstones: Azurite, Calcite, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Quartz
Aromas: Jasmine, Mint, Mugwort, Star anise

BLUE: Ether / Sound : "I speak"
Throat chakra, Fifth chakra - lies at the base of the throat. Faithfulness, loyalty, openness, freedom (light blues), responsibility and respect for others (dark blues)

Qualities: Free / creative self expression, communication, inspiration, confidence, integrity, wisdom, truth, freedom, Independence, access to subtler levels of being.

Musical Keynote: G, Eh
Glands: THYROID : controls jaw, neck, throat, voice, airways, upper lungs, nape of neck, arms.
Gemstones: Aquamarine, Blue Sapphire, Chalcedony, Turquoise
Aromas: Benzoin, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Sage

GREEN: Air / Touch : "I love"
Heart chakra, Fourth chakra - lies in the middle of the chest. Warmheartedness, friendship, openness, freedom, harmony, peace, empathy, self renewal.

Qualities: Unconditional / divine love and harmony, forgiveness, healing, compassion, understanding, transformation, warmth, sharing, sincerity, devotion, selflessness.

Musical Keynote: F, Ah
Glands: THYMUS : heart, blood circulation, immune system, lower lungs, rib cage, skin, upper back, hands.
Gemstones: Emerald, Green Jade, Kunzite, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline.
Aromas: Majoram, Orris root, Rose oil, Yarrow

YELLOW: Fire / Sight : "I do"
Navel or Solar Plexus chakra, Third chakra - lies above the navel below the chest.
Optimism, cheerfulness, success, generosity, satisfaction

Qualities: Personal power, social identity, influence, authority, self-control, energy, will, peace, radiance, joy, inner harmony, acceptance of self, strength, action, vitality.

Musical Keystone: E, O(top)
Glands: PANCREAS: Liver, digestive system, stomach, spleen, gall bladder, autonomic nervous system, lower back and muscles.
Gemstones: Amber, Citrine, Tiger's eye, Topaz, Yellow Sapphire
Aromas: Bergamot, Carnation, Lavendar, Rosemary.

ORANGE: Water / Taste : "I feel"
Sacral chakra, Second chakra - lies above the pubic bone, between the navel and genitals. Vitality, ambition, fertility, erotic feelings

Qualities: Primal feelings, sexuality, desire, sensuality, procreation, pleasure, awe, enthusiasm, relationships, union with nature, openness to others, personal creativity.

Musical Keystone: D, O(home)
Glands:REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: Pelvic area, sex organs, potency, fluid functions, kidneys, bladder.
Gemstones: Carnelian, Coral, Gold Calcite, Moonstone.
Aromas: Damiana, Gardenia, Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang.

RED: Earth / Smell : "I am"
Root chakra, First chakra - lies between the rectum and the genital area. Activity, energy, stamina, joy in living, sexuality, love

Qualities: Full acceptance of life on earth, survival, power to achieve goals, vitality, grounding, satisfaction, material security, stability, primal trust, stillness, courage.

Musical Keystone: C, U(ooh)
Glands: ADRENAL : solid parts spinal column, bones, teeth, nails. Anus, rectum, colon, prostrate gland, blood and building of cells.
Gemstones: Agate, Bloodstone, Hematite, Red Coral, Red Garnet, Ruby
Aromas: Cedar, Clove, Pepper

Stars and Stones, The Zodiac and Stones

2008-11-04T09:27:00.011-07:00

* image sources:
http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/Writing_Systems/zodiac-1.jpg
http://www.wiki.com
And I forgot where I found the third one - was just 'here'. Sorry if not sourced, but it's not 'mine', so I thank the owner for the lending. :)

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20)

Onyx - increase wisdom and serenity.
Malachite - become aware of unconscious wishes, dreams and feelings.
Tourmaline - achieve wealth and fame.
Agate - feel safe and relaxed.
Other Capricorn stones - Black pearl, Moss Agate, Rock Crystals, Diamonds, Jasper, Obsidian, Smoky Quartz, Sapphire, Citrine.

Aquarius (January 21 - February 19)

Turquoise - counteract and moderate mood swings.
Aquamarine - achive unity and psychological integration.
Labradorite - strengthens intuition and helps realize goals.
Topaz - leads to self realization. Image: http://www.library.cornell
Other Aquarius stones - Amazonite, Falcon's eye, Fluorite, Malachite, Jade, Chalcedony, Diamonds, Moonstone, Opal, Onyx, Tourmaline

Pisces (February 20 - March 20)

Amethyst - gives strength and courage to the heart and mind.
Opal - brings harmony and happiness in life.
Fluorite - aids in complex understanding of life situations.
Sugilite - strengthens self control.
Other Pisces stones - Garnet, Agate, Diamond, Jade, Carnelian, Rose Quartz, Citrine.

Aries (March 21 - April 20)

Ruby - Helps restore sight in regards to goals. Fosters intuition and creativity.
Garnet - increases self confidence and supports positive undertakings.
Jasper - symbolizes will power, promotes energy.
Kyanite - helps dissolve energy blocks and aids in mediation.
Other Aries stones - Diamonds, Hematite, Amethyst

Taurus (April 21 - May 20)

Rhodochrosite - promotes positive self-image and spontaneous expression.
Rose Quartz - promotes peace of mind and clear thinking.
Agate - strengthens thoughtful characteristics.
Aventurine - brings patience and tranquility.
Other Taurus stones - Zircon, Diamonds, Malachite, Emerald, Obsidian, Citrine.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21)

Amber - gives peace in search of new territories.
Citrine - provides emotional clarity and spiritual insights.
Carnelian - supports spiritual vitality and helps aid on focus.
Yellow Sapphire - helps with plans and goals.
Other Gemini stones - Aquamarine, Rock Crystals, Chalcedony, Tiger's eye, Turquoise.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)

Emerald - provides stability and alleviates mood swings.
Moonstone - Keeps focus and helps when facing 'reality'.
Aventurine - peace in heart and mind.
Jade - gives confidence to trust in feelings and intuition.
Other Cancer stones - Pearl, Opal, Aventurine, Chalcedony, Carnelian, Rhodochrosite

Leo (July 23 - August 23)

Rock Crystal - gives strength and inner composure. Intensifies positive vibrations.
Larimar - aids in resolving old problems and leads to new ways of thinking.
Diamonds - aids in clear thinking and true leadership in personal and professional endeavors.
Topaz - lucky stone, fosters honesty, sincerity and fairness.
Other Leo stones - Onyx, Citrine, Garnet, Peridot, Selenite, Tiger's eye, Tourmaline.

Virgo (August 24 - September 23)

Tiger's Eye - helps aid in decision making, security in choices.
Jasper - fosters odesty and self-restraint, strengthens sense of reality and connection.
Citrine - self confidence, individuality and lucky.
Carnelian - promotes social awareness, positive energy and inspiration.
Other Virgo stones - Hematite, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Opal, Ruby, Sodalite

Libra (September 24 - October 23)

Smoky Quartz - protective, helps concentration and can bring new ideas, balance.
Jade - vitality and health, intensifies flow of energy and promotes harmony.
Aquamarine - brings free thinking, spirituality and clarity.
Tourmaline - emits peace, balance and inner harmony.
Other Libra stones - Malachite, Turquoise, Diamonds, Carnelian, Obsidian.

Scorpio (October 24 - November 22)

Hematite - helps with patience and peace of mind.
Coral - brings joy, energy and sensuality.
Fluorite - promotes intellectual development, harmonizes positive and negative energy.
Spinel - promotes determination, helps realize goals and self worth.
Other Scorpio stones - Garnet, Agate, Jade, Malachite, Ruby, Tourmaline.

Sagittarius (November 23 - December 21)

Lapis Lazuli - helps realize aspirations and plans.
Herkimer Diamond - promotes clear thinking and self esteem, openness and free expression.
Spinel - fosters perseverance and endurance.
Aventurine - enhances positive energy and qualities.
Other Sagittarius stones - Sodalite, Zircon, Topaz, Moonstone, Opal, Rose Quartz, Troumaline, Amethyst.

How to Clean Wire Wrapped Jewelry

2008-11-04T08:47:00.010-07:00

The best care you can give your handmade jewelry is to simply NOT wear it when swimming or bathing or during activities that cause perspiration. First things first... the gemstones are NATURAL and therefore can be damaged by chemical reactions. This is why the swimming pool can be so damaging. Chlorine, salt water, perspiration, perfumes... all can cause damage, change of color, staining etc. That's NOT to say, don't wear your jewels to whatever and where ever you want! Just take a moment to realize that a minute or two of care can save your precious pretties from damage and allow you to enjoy them for a long long time. ;)

Some DOs:

* Put your perfume on BEFORE your jewelry. Misting your gemstones and precious metals can damage them over the long run. Besides, if your honey is 'sniffing' behind your ears... it's YOU they want to smell and not the gemstones. ;)

* Store your jewelry in a clean, dry place away from direct sun exposure. Putting your fave earrings on the car dashboard or near a window might cause those pretty gemstones to turn a different color. Putting your jewels in a 'wet or damp' place can cause damage to the metals and stones also.

* After wearing your pretty things out, take them off, wipe them with a clean cloth and store them properly. Either hanging if the wire is 'dangling' like in necklaces or bracelets or in a jewelry drawer laid out. Tangled metal wire on stones can scratch them. Not to mention damage your hand made collectible.

* Here's a fun one... WEAR your silver jewelry! Silver tarnishes and there's not much to do about that, but something you CAN do is enjoy it. Wearing them often will slowly coat the silver with the oils from your skin which will help slow the oxidation process. Wipe your silver with a clean dry cloth and store properly when not wearing. This won't prevent tarnishing totally but will help. Some cleaning recommendations are below.

* Remove your jewelry before you go to bed. Waking up with morning hair is one thing, but can you imagine waking up with knotted gemstone and wire hair! Or heaven forbid... you find the design of your fave earrings imprinted on the side of your cheek! Seriously... wearing your handmade creations to bed can damage them. Take a moment to remove them and at the least, put them on the nightstand.

Cleaning your handmade collectible jewelry:

I learned much of my wire wrapping techniques from http://www.wire-sculpture.com. They're great to learn from, provide wonderful tutorials and supply great products. I owe Preston and his team a huge smile in gratitude. I hope you enjoy the recipe below. I got it from them, have used it and have found that it works pretty well!

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dish detergent (powered) Arm and Hammer works great!
1 cup water
1 piece aluminum foil

Heat water in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes.
Cut a piece of aluminum foil that roughly covers the bottom of a small bowl (like a cereal bowl).
Pour hot water into bowl. Place salt, soda, and dish washing liquid into bowl. Place jewelry on top of foil and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse jewelry in cool water and dry jewelry completely with soft cloth. Discard solution after use and make a new batch next time.
According to wire-sculpture.com, "this works well for gold-filled, brass, German (nickel) silver, and sterling silver. I have even cleaned jewelry with freshwater pearls, shell cameos and mother of pearl with no problem.".
If there is a lot of tarnish or dirt on the piece, you can also use an old, soft toothbrush to give it a soft brushing. Rinse the piece and soak for an additional few minutes.

If you don't want to go through all that and would rather purchase a cleaning product, then I can recommend Jewel Brite (Google it, everyone sells it)... perhaps I should sometime too??? I'm off topic. lol. Click the jar there and it'll take you to a search. Otherwise, their site is here:
http://www.jewelbrite.com/products.html

I use this personally and it's perfectly safe for most jewelry. From the container:

"Safe for pearls, opals, soft stones, costume jewelry and antique jewelry. Contains no ammonia, acid or alcohol. Biodegradable."

It's not that expensive and worth it if you don't like to fiddle around. This cleans them up really really nicely, stones and metals. Leaves a great shine on the jewelry and I've never had anything 'damaged' by it. Certainly follow the instructions and when in doubt, Google up your stones and make sure that the cleaning method is appropriate.

.... otherwise, have confidence that you can use it safely with almost all jewelry. They sell this at most jewelry and craft shows everywhere.

Tools for Making Wire Wrapped Jewelry

2008-11-01T15:30:00.006-06:00

What do *I* use? Lindstrom's RX ergonomic tools. They cost a bit more then the pliers and cutters you might find at the local hobby store, but... I have to say that if you're going to do wire for the long haul, then it's worth the investment. I got my tools a couple of pieces at a time and over time, have tested and tried almost all of their jewelry pliers and cutters. I have to say... they are my faves for sure. They've outlasted anything else I've tried from local shops and trust me... I give the tools a run for their money. I'm hardly delicate when I'm intent on bending or cutting wire. I expect the tools to do most of the muscle work and so I use them that way, saving my precious wrists and hands as much as I can.

Here's the link to their site for information: http://www.lindstromtools.com/tools.htm

Believe me, when I first started out bending wire, I did like everyone else does... went to the local Hobby Lobby, got the 'jewelry making kit' for less then $20.00 and went to town learning. That's a great start, but once you fall in love with wire art, you'll want to invest in some better tools. Like any serious hobby, it's best to invest in your body's comfort and well being. That makes the jewelry project all the better and when you're not concerned with hand or wrist fatigue... your project will be even more spectacular when finished.

From their site:

Lindstrom Rx plier

The result of 150 years of making the world's leading cutters and pliers.

We have put all our experience, technical expertise and ergonomic know-how into the successful Rx plier series. Take a close look at the Rx plier, try it out and then compare it to all competitors on the market. The Rx plier will always come out on top!

Finely finished. High degree of symmetry, even under magnification.
Rounded shape makes it easy to rotate to find the correct working angle.
Cushioned, high-friction surface. Always comfortable and steady in your hand.
Return spring automatically opens Rx pliers. You always have your fingers in place to do the job.
Easy to adjust, three-position spring. Provides different resistance and grip widths.
Unique spring design. Reduces fatigue over time in intensive use.
Long, wide handles. Distribute and minimize pressure points.
Light weight. Easy to maneuver and position.
Springs are easily replaced. Tool stocking and replacement costs are reduced.
ESD safe.

Here is my little collection of Lindstrom tools... along with some other tools that are important when mangling wire. I have a wonderful collection of non-Lindstrom tools also, which I purchased from the local hobby store or from one of my fave online suppliers. All will work well for you when you keep in mind, the comfort of your body machine.

Now for the beginner... what basic tools do you need to start? Here's what I recommend:

Flat nose jewelry plier
Chain nose
Round nose
Jewelry wire cutters
A jewelry file
A ruler

You should be able to accomplish most wire and bead projects with these. Over time, you'll most likely look to add to your collection based on what you prefer to make.

Updated: A girlfriend of mine just told me about Wubbers! They sound just as wonderful as the Lindstrom but not as expensive. I can't speak on them because I don't own a pair, but here is a link to her post on them. I think the next time I need a new pair of pliers I'll be looking into Wubber also. Thanks Jamie! CreationsbyJae

Meantime, here's a quick snapshot of my little collection. Enjoy!

Your Jewelry Work Space

2008-11-01T13:44:00.022-06:00

When things start to look like this... it's time to get organized! I won't show you my 'clean up' just yet (because I haven't HA!), but... I'm sure we've all had a day (or a few) like this one.

Inspiration and maniac wire bending can be so much fun that I move from one project to the next... never mind cleaning up until my creative mood has had it's fill of creating! This is usually the state of things once that mood has passed. Sometimes, it's just like this all the time and I need to clean up anyway... even if I'd rather just move into the next empty table with my projects!

Here are some simple ways (and inexpensive) to get organized....

What to do with tools? Use something handy to store them for quick 'grabbing'. Some wire benders have found very creative ways to handle tool storage without spending oodles of money. What I use are those little wire racks from the local 'Walmart' store. They're the snap together storage shelving. The units are usually less then $20.00 and not only hold the tools, but also make great shelving for beads and what-nots. Here's an image until I get my desk cleaned up - then I'll post an image of that. (blushes). Tool storage is essential to the well keeping of your investments also. Notice how I praise and how I use, Lindstrom RX tools? Well, they're a decent penny when you start collecting them so... storage always keeps tools, not only handy, but in good shape.

What about storage and easy access to 'wire' or ribbons or ropes or other 'string' type materials? Well, if they come on a spool... then normally I use a dowel, slip it through one of the metal storage units and store the spools there. Those wire storage units are great for all kinds of things and a dowel at the local hardware or hobby store is just about a buck or two.

Hanging almost finished project pieces (like earrings...?) WIRE STORAGE UNITS. Great for slipping tools into, great for slipping dowels into and great for hanging earrings all over also! And if your necklaces or bracelets have a hook for a clasp, then these are great for hanging those on also. Just because those wire squares come designed to 'snap together' into a shelf doesn't mean you HAVE to use it that way. Get a few extra, get some coffee hooks (if you're a true crafter, your walls have holes). Screw the coffee hooks into the wall, use one of the wire squares to hang on it and then hang your finished or mid project jewelry there for temp storage. If you're like me and put a project into a drawer unfinished, then it's unfinished for a long long time because I'll forget it's in there. I keep all of my projects in my sight until they're finished enough for sale. And then I have a whole other process for storing finished pieces and sets after cleaning, but for this article, we're speaking for quick and organized storage.

And what about bead project management? Well, see that wooden tray? I get those from the local hobby shops. I find them on sale and have purchased them for less then $3.00 each. I also pick up some really inexpensive felt which I cut to fit the inside of the treys. This way, I can lay out the beads for any given project and they don't slip away all over the place. This also makes for really quick clean up. When company comes (or ... rolls eyes... the cats are just being mischievous), I can easily and quickly just grab the tray, the beading board and dash them off into the studio closet. My beads, tools and project wires are all 'right there'. I get tons of these and keep larger or more complicated beading projects on them. This way, I can also just as easily grab the project I want with all things ready and go to town.

Certainly you'll use beading boards when laying out a design (for length and organization). These also are not that expensive and can be found either online or at the local hobby stores. I get a few of these also because if you are in love with jewelry making... you have more then one project going on at a time. It sucks to remove beads from the board, layout another design, etc. Just get a few (at least a couple) at a time.

The other thing I love using for bead management are those wonderful little compartmentalized plastic bead or project boxes. Sometimes, you can find those at a local hardware store for less then even at the hobby stores. They can be used to hold all kinds of small goodies like beads, findings, wire... anything. The limitation is that normally, the compartments are small so while they're great for BEADS BEADS AND MORE BEADS... some beads are too big. So, for those, I spend an extra buck and get the version of storage box that allows for adjustable compartments. You should be able to find these for a couple of dollars... and for crimany sakes, DON'T pay more then three or four dollars per each because they are available for two or less if you shop right.

Need a 'table space' to declare as your workbench? For this one, I say 'know thyself'... I'm a crazy crafter who doesn't always clean up project after project and who works on more then one project at a time. So I use banquet tables. Yep... those 6 to 8 feet long, plane jane, no frills, no drawers, CHEAP, banquet tables. I'm a geek for a living and these make great computer desks too so that's where I know them from. You can find these anywhere... local flea market even. They range from $40 to $60 bucks, are wide, long and who cares if you scratch up or have to 'write on' the table top. If you're working with wire, stones, cutters, pliers, hammers... don't get cute and expensive with your work bench. It won't stay that way. The other very handy thing about these tables is that I normally use a sharpie marker, mark off inches, centimeters, etc right on the table. That's handy for a quick ref. on length without having to search for my rulers.

Jewelry Measurement Conversion Charts

2008-11-01T10:14:00.004-06:00

When you're working with jewelry, you're working in MM (millimeters) most of the time. What the heck is a millimeter and why do you need to know? It's a unit of measure that is important if you are looking to sell your jewelry. Plus learning the lingo doesn't hurt if you're shopping for custom or handmade jewelry and need to visualize the size of a stone or wire. MM most often speaks to the 'size' of the stone or cabochon. Gauge is speaking about the 'thickness' of wire. In Gauges, the SMALLER the number, the thicker the wire. The 'LARGER' the number, the thinner the wire. Keep that in your perfectly twisted memory. MM and gemstone sizes do not work this way. The larger the number, the larger the size.

1 millimeter is about the thickness of a dime.
1 inch is 25.40 millimeter (noted MM)
~click the chart to enlarge

Now don't think you need a pocket full of dimes to make jewelry....

How does one measure a MM? I would recommend that you get the inexpensive, no frills, uncomplicated brass Caliper.
They are about $6 or $7 from the local hobby/jewelry store or online.

These are what I use for measure in addition to standard rulers and my eyeballs.

Enjoy - I hope this helps.

Wire Wrapped Earring Tutorial: Beginner: 5 Minute Earrings

2008-11-01T09:30:00.004-06:00

This is one of my most fave pair of earrings and I make them all the time. You can use any type of shell in a tear drop shape for this wrap. I finally got around to taking images while I worked and thought I'd share this one. I hope you enjoy it! :) click the images to enlarge them. And excuse the condition of my workbench, but hey, I'm a TRUE wire bender... and I have scratches. ;)

Needed:

Two, 4 inch pieces of 24g, soft, round, sterling silver wire.
Two shell teardrop beads.
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters

Get your round wires threaded through the bead hole until it is about even on both sides and the bead is center the wire.
Bend the wires up with your fingers while hanging on to the bead. bring the wires together and gently squeeze them until they meet.

Rub them out once or so to keep your wire neat and straight after you have them together. Work slowly and deliberately. These are quick, so an extra minute to straighten the wire makes a difference. This is 24 gauge SOFT wire and so bends quite easily. Keeping control over a pair of loose wires makes it more manageable when ready for the pliers. Rubbing the wire out once or twice keeps the tension in it and also 'stiffens' the wire just a bit. Keep that in mind and don't 'over rub' the wire or it becomes a springy mess.

Take your round nose pliers and clamp down on the wires with them as neat and straight as you can get them. The bead 'face' should be facing away from you and the 'side' of the bead should be 'up'. Holding the bead, turn your pliers toward you so that the loose ends bend 'up'. You are making an 'L' shape.

In this position, grab the loose ends with your fingers, letting go of the bead (you have it held by the pliers) and roll the wires around the top of the plier, looping it around and back toward you. You're making a loop around that plier side. See the next image.

After you have your loop, the 'neatest' way to keep it, is to keep the pliers in it. Adjust your grip here if needed and get that loop nice and snug against the pliers. Remember to always maintain 'control' over your wire. If it's feel loosy goosy in your grip, chill out and re-adjust yourself.

Grab the loose ends with your free hand, again wires together and straight and loop around the intersection of wires. Make about three, snug loops going 'down' away from the pliers and toward the bead. Then do three loops back up toward the pliers, layering over the first. I like this affect when using very thing wire because it gives a nice 'substantial' silver top to the earring in a very simple way.

This is what you should have when you're doing wrapping the loose ends. Now using your hands, get your cutters, trim away the ends as close to the loop as you can and to the 'back' side of the earring. Take your flat nose pliers and tuck the sharper tips in the best that you can. Take your time and do gentle tucks. I've slipped with those pliers before tucking ends and have mangled my nice wrap. That wire is soft... always remember to go slow and deliberate (helps reduce unwanted scratches too).

That's it. :) Get a cool sterling silver earring hook, get your earring looped in there, do some cleaning away of finger prints and poof, it's only been 10 minutes and you have a lovely pair of earrings.
Hope you enjoyed this! Thanks for visiting me here.

Email: PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
Here's a link to my tutorials only page.

Health and Posture at the Jewelry Table

2008-11-01T07:55:00.000-06:00

How many hours...? And then what happens?

I decided to write this short article on some simple reminders about body and posture while at the jewelry table. We all know that eventually, the joy and passion of jewelry creation will work it's way from the beading table over to the computer desk. We love to share, blog, learn more and then sell our work which means you can bet on it, that you will be here too.

I bring this topic up because I find my wrist hurting this week. I have been making a big push to create more wire pendants and in addition, I've also started creating project tutorials. I went to pour a cup of coffee and realized that it 'ached' to hold the pot in my hands.... ut oh...

Time to change some things up and not let that get out of control.

Some tips:

1. When working with wire wrapping, you will find that your hands and wrists fatigue. It's logical if you think about the motion of hands and wrists while using pliers, holding wire firm, pulling wire, etc. If your arms are not conditioned, you may ache in the forearms, back and shoulders as though you've played tennis the day before.

Make sure to plan your projects in such a way that you have time in between to rest and stretch your hands, legs, back, arms...
Use helpful techniques to assist you in keeping wire together to relieve some hand tension. Use tape, banding wires, twist ties, clamps, etc. where you can and where appropriate for your project.
If IT HURTS or is an unnatural body motion when you are wrapping your wire, chances are you are making it harder on yourself then it should be. Don't take unnatural bends or motions into your posture. Set your piece down. Pick it up in such a way that you can make the bends and wraps without contorting yourself. I mention this because in the beginning, I found I didn't want to 'let the wire go' for fear I would lose control over it. Learn to put it down if you feel aching in your movements or if your movements are unnatural.

2. After sitting at the jewelry table for hours and most of the time, with a slight bend forward... you might find that your lower back, shoulders and neck begin to ache.

Stop and stretch. Most if the time, just being aware to do that will keep you well and muscle knot free.
Make sure you are sitting in a proper chair that gives you back and even arm rest support and that is appropriate height for your table or desk. Use what is comfortable for you, but don't sit for hours making jewelry on things such as a tall stool. This might bring you higher above the table then you should be and cause you to bend forward farther then is good for your back.
Replacing your chair with a body ball appropriate to your weight and height might be a way to strengthen back and lower back muscles and posture. Certainly check with your doc or health person to ensure it's right for you, but it's something I did long ago. Body balls are about $40.00 at the local sports shop.

3. Keep water near you. Sometimes, four or five hours will pass and I won't notice. If you keep a nice neon color water bottle there next to you, at least you'll remember to keep hydrated.

4. Give your eyes a break and treat them well... work in proper light, work at appropriate distances to your projects, use magnifier, jewelry lamps for really small wire. Or just in general. There are some 'head lamps' that might be useful to you.

5. VENTILATE yourself properly if you are working with products such as Liver of Sulpher, adhesives, stains, etc...

Be well in your Art, my friends. Please share in comments any tips and hints you have also!
Hugs and many blessings.

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry! Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Friends! :) Mochishop.com and ColorTools.com

2008-01-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone... I met a new friend tonight and WOW, was I lucky they found me. I wanted to share their website so that you can visit if you get a chance. Their style blog has a lot of great information!
http://www.mochishop.com/style-blog/

==================================
And my girlfriend Ms. C...(big huge hugs and kisses)
Okay everyone, this is a MUST go visit. This is 'magic' information... seriously. Her website is amazing and so are the things she does there! The information is well layed out, well written and things that I can't wait to learn, myself! ColorTools.com

Beneath our awareness, color evokes emotion and action and can affect others and ourselves in ways that often go untapped. ColorTools™ kits teach you the art of color coordinating your wardrobe and cosmetic purchases. You can even use our method to decorate your home and find that perfect color for walls, draperies, furniture and accessories. Stop carrying around fabric swatches that were made from outdated dye lots and lots of cumbersome dangling strings. See how we can help you make an informed color decision.

I can't even say how much I miss hanging out with you! Hugs Lady.

Many hugs to everyone - happy New Year!!!

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry!
Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Blog Award!

2008-01-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Awww! How cool is this! I've never had anyone nominate me for anything, so I'm speechless and very honored that Jamie Elliott, Creations by JAE, nominated me. I've been blessed to have been befriended by the Etsy eSMArts team and couldn't be more proud to be a member along side all of these wonderful and talented Artists.

Please take a moment to visit my friend Jamie! Click the Krativ Blogger badge and it'll take you to her amazing blog where you can visit all of her beautiful jewelry, visit her store items and stop in to pet her wonderful Willie puppy while you're there. Then please also take a minute and visit my sidebar links where you can visit all of the eSMArts team! I proudly display live links to their blogs and posts. Make sure you check out the Etsy team store as well as the individual stores also! Our sales go to making the world a better place.

The rules for passing this award on are:
1. The winner may put this award on their blog
2. Put a link to the person who sent this award to you
3. Nominate 5 blogs
4. Put links to their blogs
5. Leave a message for your nominees

Enjoy! And much love and many well wishes for a prosperous, healthy and blessed New Year!

Meet the Team:

And I'm honored to pass this along tooooo.... (I actually pick everyone ;)

http://www.momfuse.com
http://maryannartist.blogspot.com/
http://www.sillybeadbugs.blogspot.com
http://designedfortime.blogspot.com/
http://zurickdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://duchessofwire.blogspot.com/

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry!
Please contact me with comments or questions!
Susan aka...
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

Thanks Due

2008-01-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

Updated: 1.30.2009 1:55pm

"She also, makes amazing jewelry and can be found in the links...
http://www.jewelrygeeks.com/amequohi"

Now, I have another moment to sit and properly thank Jeanne. Her jewelry is outstanding, like I've mentioned but that's not what I'm writing about. I'm writing about her encouragement of my writing.

Somewhere, deep down below and around my 'pockets', there is a special love. I think I didn't realize how important until recently. I love to write. About anything, all things, nothing, poetry, jokes, rambling... I've been exploring that for a year (poems of mine)

So, here, again in this amazing group of 'Jewelry' Artists... I meet Ms. Amequohi. We have the pleasure to chat a few times and get to knowin' each other. Her encouragement, support, enthusiasm and even her little shmoosing and egging... got me to Smashwords. I've been kind of test driving it for a couple weeks now and I see, for as new as they are, that it's going to be the perfect place for me to 'become my author'. ;) She's opened up a whole new world of 'hope' for me, excitement and just pure joy to know that I can put my 'books' out there somewhere.
Visit Smashwords here if you want a great place to publish your ebooks. At the moment, I don't see that they do 'how to' books, but if you write story or poetry, fiction... its' perfect.
Ms. Amequohi - thank you my friend. xoxo
You help me realize a love.

====================================================
Now, I have time to sit and write something proper about a couple of women. A couple of fine artists and most certainly, two dear friends. First, here are their links.

http://www.jewelrygeeks.com/creationsbyjae
http://creationsbyjae.blogspot.com/
http://www.jewelrygeeks.com/lola_d
http://www.jamilola.blogspot.com/

also, click each image to 'go there'
Ms. Jamie befriended me when my blog was new and introduced me to the Etsy team. I've loved it ever since and am blessed she extended the invitation, I have a huge list of friends linked down the side bar and enjoy sharing in the lives of all these wonderful people. (okay PSST that would be YOU). ;)

Anyway... here I sit on sunny days, rainy days, snowy days and I watch our forum conversations go by while I do my ma(dd)ness...

I try to help some here and there, I make silly most everywhere and I learn, from all of you. And I watch how many endless, selfish less, helpful emails are fired off minute after minute. Some new to the group, some seasoned, some familiar to ourselves in several other places, everyone working hard to help each other enjoy and be successful at our arts.
And... I laugh my head off sometimes because we're all a bunch of delightful nuts! :)

And... I watch Jamie, over and over, write the most thoughtful, informative, instructional emails to share how we can help each other. There are many of you who do this so please know you're not unnoticed, but today, I'm writing to these two 'first friends' of mine who lead me to all of you...

I know I could write about how beautiful Jamie's jewelry is, but I think that's all quite obvious. What I want her to know is how beautiful the rest of her loving and sharing heart is and that those artful efforts of hers are also, loved and appreciated. As much as her jewelry is eye candy :)

And Ms. Lola. Mysterious lady. So many 'yous', so much beauty and so much talent. When I joined Jewelry Geeks I noticed your jewelry images before I even knew how to click. I looked at many galleries, read many comments, and found your wonderful smile there all the time. Small phrases, little hugs, engaged conversations, support, friendship and interest. She was everywhere and I thought, how cool! I'd love to know her. Creative in jewelry art, creative in words, powerful in her 'woman' and all woman at heart. I'm never sure if she's a member of the Etsy team, but it doesn't matter. She's a member of my friendship team and I love her.

Please go visit each of them. Enjoy their amazing art, but know how else they're amazing and say hello. :) Hugs to you all. A delightful team. All delightful artists. And some of the best people I share text with! lol!! xoxo

Please visit yourselves and ourselves at the sidebar! Nice to see you here too.

YES! I am working on jewelry too! Dad and G did bring back a bundle of rocks, so I'm a wrappin'... soon for pics. xo Thanks and love to them!

Oh! And I pretended like I was an author this weekend and so I 'published' my first little ebook! yipps! In the mini.me on the side bar... I.SmashWords.Together If you write or like to read cheesy poetry... go see me! :D Just kidding... It might not all be cheeky, but it is a new 'art' for me, so thanks for any feedback if you do. xo My writing is also in the Mini.Me. Izzy.She be.

I have to thank my friend Jeanne for that! I think she knows what a blessing her encouragement was. And is. xoxo

She also, makes amazing jewelry and can be found in the links... http://www.jewelrygeeks.com/amequohi

Hugs to all - back to my wire!

Thanks for visiting Perfectly Twisted Jewelry!
Please contact me with comments or questions!
IzzyGumbo@comcast.net
PerfectlyTwisted@comcast.net
http://www.PerfectlyTwistedJewelry.com
http://twitter.com/izzygumbo

In Thanks, Dr. King.

2000-01-19T10:25:00.001-07:00

We hold your truths, as dear to our hearts.

A Dream, Come True
“I have a Dream…” His words sang through,
“Let Freedom Ring…” God’s Children do,
“This is our hope…, the faith that I go…”

He sang His words, so that we might know…

“We must forever conduct our struggle,
on the high plane of dignity…”

Dr. King’s vision is for all to be free.

“As we walk, we must make the pledge,
that we shall always march ahead…”

His words, our drink,
And His vision, our bread.
A promise made, as a truth lay dead.

“Now is the time, to lift our Nation…”
“Now is the time.....
“Let freedom ring…”
“I Have a Dream!” cried Dr. King.

"My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing.”

“This is our hope.”
He lead the way,

“This, will be the day…”
Brothers and Sisters….
“I have a dream today!”

"Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

A gift given us, from HiStory Past.
And moving forward, we’ve realized…
The Great Doctor’s words, have opened our eyes.
And Dr. King I say to you, You stood by God,
To see us through.

I’m grateful, for the song in you.
And we’re grateful, as your Dream, comes true.
Our Nation stands, together,
and we honor You.

Written 1.19.2009, posted here in 2000 since it's not 'currently jewelry'... and yet a subject on a precious gem, still the same.