chillin' in my happy place

Since I was on my ocean inspired design burst, I pulled out some beach glass to make a few of my Sea Goddess components.  Here's the before ...

And the really excellent after ...

Interesting that one of the green pieces changed color a bit.  That's what I love about doing these, it's always a surprise!  I think I'll do finished pieces with the two pendants and I'm planning to list the other componenets on Etsy.  This coming week is going to be crazy busy, but I should be able to squeeze a photo shoot and some 'puter time in there somewhere. 

I've been working with my mondo pile of shark fossils and enjoying myself immensely!  My soon to be replaced cheapo drill has actually been cooperating and I've been able to do a bunch of drilling.  The only challenging part with the fossils - some are not so fossilized and crumble or break when I'm drilling them.  The good ones make a lovely ringing sound when they click together.  Happy sounds are always a good thing in jewels.  I'm having so much fun with these ... I can't believe it took me 3 years to get these out and start experimenting.   Gotta say, on the whole, they're looking very cool and I'm quite pleased.

I took a couple of days and made a bunch of teeny spacers and accent beads.  I don't know what it is, but I absolutely love making these tiny beads.  And when I've got them all sorted out, well sort of sorted, and in my little bins ... that's a sight that makes me ever so happy.

What I've started with is these really simple necklaces with stacks of silver alternating with the fossils.  I'm debating about adding some sparklie bits, but keep going back to the simpler versions.  These are on the nylon cord I'm making.  I'm liking the thinner version for my own self, but can see that thicker cords will be good for the guys and the heavier pieces.

I'm planning on spending most of tomorrow working on these.  There'll be earrings and bracelets as well.  Oh yes, that will be me ... chillin' in my happy place!

Sending out prayers to those in the path of Irene - stay safe!
l i g a - kvk

oooohhhh .... ahhhhhh ..... pretties

In the midst of everything that I've been supposed to be doing and actually have been doing ... wholesale orders are out the door, but the scary pile of debit receipts and the checkbook balancing and housecleaning will have to wait for another day or so... I managed to squeeze in some extracurricular projects.  I mean, I was in production mode and I did have to fire the kiln several times, so why not throw in a few fun things.

Like reworking some pieces for Etsy.  I added the l i g a blessing to the Starry Night Cross, really just needed it, I changed the green garnet in one piece from that same post to a lovely translucent green amethyst, I've made several of the listed components into finished pieces, just had to do it and put together a few more pieces with components that I've had for a while and I finished this absolutely gorgeous piece.  I really really love this necklace.  It's 36" long and uses four lengths of tiny rolo chain with green amethyst and moss aquamarine.

The Sea Goddess necklace .........

Here's a closeup of the silver shell pieces - these are sterling silver pmc and very thin ....

I'll be listing and re-listing a bunch of stuff and updating Etsy this weekend.  Here's a preview ....

And then for something completely different ... I had some pieces of beach glass that I had drilled ages ago.  They've been sitting in one of my bowls of rocks and glass and I just had to make pendants out of them.
  

The really great thing is plain old white glass like this .......

...... gets fumed by the silver and changes color - like this ..........

After tumbling and oxidizing, they are absolutely transformed ........

More often than not, you have no idea what the source glass is, so it's always a surprise as to how the glass will change color.  This batch was especially exciting - I got two pieces that turned kind of a peach color.  White has always gone amber, so the peachy color was a nifty surprise.  Amazing, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone else doing this - pmc wrapped beach glass - can't imagine why.  The finished pieces are just so bloody cool!

Okay, time to get dinner on the table ... taco Friday with anasazi beans that have been cooking all afternoon!  yummmm!

l i g a - kvk