Goldilocks and the Three Bracelets

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Once upon a time, a little girl named Goldilocks was getting ready to go to her very first dance. She wanted to look just right and knew that even though her dress was pretty, she really had to have the right jewelry. She had already looked in all the stores at the mall, but just couldn’t find anything that was unique. Then, she read on Facebook about an independent jewelry designer who lived in the forest near her home. Maybe that designer would have something she could wear to the dance.

One day, Goldilocks followed her GPS directions and arrived at the home of the independent jewelry designer. She knocked on the door, but no one came. She rapped hard one more time and the door pushed open. Thinking this was a good sign, she went right in. At first she thought it was a bit strange that no one came to greet her, but she quickly erased this thought as she began to look around. “Wow,” she said to herself. “This is really cool stuff!” There were necklaces and earrings and bracelets the likes of which she had never seen. Why, this was just what she had been wanting.  At the mall things looked just the same from one store to the next, but here everything was unique, just like Goldilocks.

Goldilocks quickly spotted the most beautiful bracelet sitting on a table right in front of her. It was the perfect color to go with her dress for the dance and even Pantone had recommended this tangerine orange as the color of the year. She had to have it! So, she tried it on. “Rats,” she muttered. “This bracelet has very small beads on it, but it is too big.” Goldilocks was so disappointed that she failed to put it back on the table where she had found it. As she turned to walk away, she spotted another bracelet in the same color that was made from big beads; so she tried it on, but it was too small. Maybe coming to the independent jewelry maker was not such a good idea after all. As she turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of something sparkling on the corner of the work bench. Even though she was really tired and discouraged, she decided to give it one more try. She slipped the third bracelet on her wrist and it was just right! Goldilocks whirled round and round admiring the bracelet and imagining how beautiful it would look on her wrist at the dance. When she finally stopped, she was so dizzy that she dropped into a nearby chair and closed her eyes to dream.

About that time, the independent jewelry maker came in the back door of her home. First she noticed the big orange bracelet was not where she left it and then she found a second smaller bracelet out of place. Grabbing her big hammer off the work bench for protection, she began to look around to see if there was an intruder roaming about. That’s when she noticed a teenager plopped in her favorite chair. That girl was wearing one her original orange bracelets. Hmm . . . the independent jewelry maker’s first impulse was to call 911, but her cell phone was still in the car and the girl looked harmless. She gave Goldilocks a little nudge and the surprised girl hopped up exclaiming about the beautiful bracelet she found.
Now everyone knows that a good compliment about an artist’s work goes a long way and so Goldilocks and the independent jewelry maker made nice and searched the studio for a pretty necklace to match the bracelet. Goldilocks used her Dad’s credit card to purchase the jewelry and went happily away to tell all her friends about the independent jewelry maker and her wonderful wares.

 
As for the independent jewelry maker . . . she decided to lock her front door the next time she went out, but to leave a note saying when she would be home just in case any more girls were tired of the mall.

The moral of this little tale for consumers is that the independent jewelry maker CAN provide something unique that you won’t see at the mall. The moral for the jewelry maker is to always have product available (and lock the door).

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Quality Control vs. Perfectionism

Filed under: Balance, Necklaces, Philosophy, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

Some of you may have just glanced at the picture above and decided that I’ve gone too far. About all my spouse could say when I put it on was that it was still strange.

The wire armature of this piece sat on the work table for several weeks. I tried in various ways and even wired beads on  it once. I was trying to make it perfect. The first time, my wire bindings weren’t even. The second time I felt the bead placement was wrong. Finally, I looked at the piece and realized that I was trying to find the “perfect” way to embellishment it. Yet, I didn’t really know what perfect for this piece should look like.

Finally, instead of thinking about perfection, I started to think about good technique that might lead to good quality. Could I get the beads on the armature without the ugly wire ends showing? How might I balance the piece without letting the beads take over the design. Could I make good jump rings without rough edges?

You may not like the look of it, but the piece won’t fall apart or snag your clothes. Of course, this finished necklace is not perfect and I could still pick it apart, but at least I was able to accomplish those elements needed for quality.  Sometimes that’s the best I can do.

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The Independent Jewelry Maker

Filed under: Earrings, Pendants, Philosophy | Back to: Homepage

There are some weeks when I wonder why I keep making jewelry and learning new skills. This was NOT one of them!

The independent jewelry maker can make his/her own policies when needed rather than visiting the “company” voice. I no longer string or restring beads for people unless I made the piece in the first place. I used to do this, but now it seems I’m unable to get new design work in and and trying to find that valuable commodity – time. This week, however, a man I didn’t know phoned to see if I could help him with a broken piece of jewelry. My first instinct was to say “NO”, but for some reason I listened. His girlfriend had lost one of her favorite earrings and he wanted someone to make the remaining one into a small pendant for her birthday. We talked for a bit and he finally told me that no one else would discuss it with him. All the stores he called told him “we don’t do that.” Since I was going to a town near him the next day, I agreed to meet him and see what I might do.

On the appointed day, I took all the needed tools, wire and findings and met the man. The earring was a pretty sterling silver back with two small pieces of turquoise set in bezels. The ear wire was soldered to the back. I managed to turn the ear wire into a closed ring and put it on a sterling silver chain for which I had made a clasp. Then we picked out turquoise to match and made a new pair of earrings using a bit of the matching chain. I had the man put the headpins in the stones and then polish the piece in order to be able to say he helped make them. We wrote on the card “Custom Made by “(the man) and Karen.” Did I mentioned how pleased he was?

The neatest part about this episode is that during the course of our conversation we realized that his lady is my Mother’s nurse where she lives. Neither of us had any prior idea of this.

The moral of this story is . . . you never know when in an attempt to make someone else happy you make yourself even more pleased. I like being an independent.

Earrings, Pendants, Philosophy 1 comment

Class Announcement

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If you have no interest in jewelry classes, please skip this post. I’m using my blog as a bulletin board for information about upcoming jewelry classes that I’m teaching in San Marcos, TX. These will likely be Saturday classes, except for the first class listed. The dates will be arranged depending on interest.

Introduction to Wire Wrapping for Jewelry III- $20- 2 Hour Class

Prerequisite: Basic Wire Skills

Class Includes How to . . .

1. Begin and End a Wrap

2. Bind Beads to an S loop or Circle for Earrings or a Necklace

3. Make and Embellish a Wave Bracelet

Projects: Earrings or Embellished Wave Bracelet

Wrapping Cabachons, Rocks and Objects – Level I – 3 Hr Class – $35 (Wire Provided)

Prerequisite: Basic Wire Working Skills (Maximum Participants = 6)

Class Incudes How to:

1. Work a Basic Border Wrap

2. Use a Hippie Wrap

3. Complete a Multistrand Wrap

Wrapping Cabachons, Rocks and Objects – Level II – 3 hr. Class – $35 (Wire Provided)

Prerequisite: Previous Experience Wrapping Cabs with Basic Wraps (Maximum Participants = 6)

Class Includes How To:

1. Complete a Basic Prong Style Wrap (Fancy Prong Wrap Demonstrated)

2. Utilize “Karen’s” Wrap

Intermediate Wire Weaving for Jewelry – 4 hr. Class – $43 (Wire Provided)

Prerequisite: Proficiency with Wire Work (Maximum Participants = 6)

Class Includes How to . . .

1. Work a Zig Zag Wrap

2. Complete a Two or Three Wire Wrap

Project: Dancing Feet Earrings or Ring, Zig Zag Wrap Necklace (will not complete in class time)

Prerequisite: Basic Wire Working Skills

Metal Mania – I – 3 Hr Class – $35 (Metal Provided)

For Beginners with Little or No Previous Metal Working Experience

Class Includes How to:

1. Handle Sheet Metal

2. Cut Sheet Metal

3. Forge: Hammer and Texture Sheet Metal

4. Shape Metal

5. Use a disc cutter and dapping punch

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It’s Cursive

Filed under: Bracelets, Necklaces, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

“Joined up writing” or “running writing”, aka cursive formed the basis of the idea behind the pieces shown here. I think of cursive as continuous movement and connection between alphabet letters to form words as opposed to printing wherein each letter is made separately. It works for words; so why not for wire?

I’ve always hesitated to cross wires in a piece because I like a hammered look and hammering crossed wires weakens them. With the bracelets below, I simply avoided hammering the crossing points and hammered around them. It was tricky, but turned out OK.

I enjoy making this style because it naturally flows from one end to the other and forms a sturdy bracelet. I instituted a clasp on the first bracelet shown, but felt it was not needed on the second one since is was narrower.

This necklace evolved after I took one of the cursive bracelets to a boutique and the owner kept wanting to make it into a choker. It doesn’t have any crossed wires and technically shouldn’t be labeled cursive. I was largely concerned with filling the space of the piece with swirls that fit together. The trick on this piece was to go back and bind those curves in place so they wouldn’t change shape. This turned out to be a very comfortable, yet unique, necklace. I can usually tell if it is TOO unique the first time I wear the piece. I had this on the other night and individuals kept looking at it, but not turning away. If they turn away, I assume it’s not pleasing. (But they could just be nice people . . . ?)

Next, I would like to experiment with a necklace wherein the wire forms a V in the from as opposed to this arc shape. I’ll let you know if that hatches.

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