Anne's Blog

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival

2012-01-16T22:04:00.000-05:00

It's January. It's cold in Virginia. The holidays are over, our decorations are (mostly) put away. Maybe you know someone with a birthday coming up. Maybe you were hoping to find something more creative under your Christmas tree. Maybe you're tired of watching football on the weekends. Maybe you have cabin fever (especially if you have little ones). Maybe you're a jewelry artist who is burnt out after Christmas and needing some inspiration.

River pebbles ring with rhodalite by Rona Fisher

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is coming to the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly January 27-29. Mingle with the artists who make the beautiful things you see in each booth (over 250), and ask them to tell you the story behind a piece that you love. This is a juried show, which makes for a top-notch group of craftspeople including my favorite, Rona Fisher. There are also children's theatre presentations, handmade goodies to eat, and artisans demonstrating their craft. More info: www.sugarloafcrafts.com

I've got free tickets to give away! I'll send a pair of tickets to the first two people to email me with their mailing address. anne@annemade-jewelry.com I'll update this when they're gone, so don't be shy.

Bead Soup Blog Party

2011-12-22T14:41:00.002-05:00

Lori Anderson is hosting another Bead Soup Blog Party where jewelry artists are paired up to swap stuff and stretch their creative muscles. And what a great time of year for soup - the dead of winter after the Christmas rush & burnout is over. Read all about it and give it a shot!

Jewelry making: The gift that keeps on giving

2011-12-09T14:34:00.000-05:00

I got this email today:
"Dear Anne,

I would like to buy a quality kit and tutorial for my 14 year old niece who is very creative. However, I can only spend about $30.00. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you for your help.

Warmly, Jennifer"

First of all, it sounds like Jennifer is gunning for Cool Aunt status. What a neat idea for a Christmas gift. I suggested she keep it simple and stick to one type of jewelry: earrings. Simple drop earrings are a really basic technique but one can do a lot with it just by varying the size, shape, and color of the beads. Maybe add a bead cap, or with a pair of beads try the big bead on the bottom vs. the big bead on the top. I suggested that Jennifer print out the supply list my Earring Basics tutorial and head to the craft store.

If you want to put together a kit for someone on your Christmas gift list to make simple drop earrings, she'll need round-nose and chain-nose pliers, wire cutters, packages of headpins and earhooks, some practice wire around 20-24 gauge and (if there's room in the budget) a small assortment of beads. That way you've provided what the recipient needs to practice making loops and then several pairs of earrings. Then she can pick out more beads on her own to suit her taste. Plus, with that practice wire and her extra beads she can make a Link Bracelet (free tutorial download).

Jewelry making: The gift that keeps on giving!

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-12-07T16:49:00.001-05:00

I'm in the throes of holiday orders of personalized stamped jewelry, plus it's miserable outside and not good for taking studio workbench shots, so here's the result of my bead table Wednesday.

On the way to new homes!

Okay, here's a little eye candy...

These are my small and large tags stacked and stamped in Kismet font. Merry Christmas, Ashley! (Alina and Addison's mom.)

Okay, I'll throw you another bone along the "behind the scenes" line. I was drilling a hole in a piece of sterling strip, AKA my Linear Drop Pendant, when my drill bit stopped drilling. It went halfway through the material and then just sounded like a dental drill without making any progress. I have a set of bits in various tiny sizes, so I put another bit in my Dremel and tried again. No luck, same deal. Plus that bit didn't want to drill other pieces of sterling either. After I went through a couple more bits I realized that a piece of the original bit had broken off and become lodged in the edge of the hole I was drilling, so it was dulling subsequent bits. Fail! And I didn't know how to fix it. If I hadn't already stamped the piece I might have just scrapped it, but I'm stingy with my time and materials. I finally just used my center punch (conical tip) to make divots on the front and back, and tapped my solder pick through the thin spot. Fortunately the finished piece looked fine. It's days like this when I want to limit the design options to stamping blanks that come ready to stamp, no filing or cutting, but what's the fun in that?

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-11-30T15:50:00.000-05:00

It happened again! I have a project going (okay, 19 projects going) and remembered to take a picture on a Wednesday. Embellished discs...

I resisted the urge to clean up the periphery because I want you to see the chaos in which I thrive. If I have everything put away my work space seems cold and uninspiring. When I have things around I often get ideas that I wouldn't have had otherwise, simply by seeing components unintentionally sitting together on my bench. So if you can't tell, my current project is those four wooden discs which I spray-painted black. Then I coated the top with adhesive sealant, punched circles from an old book of poetry, and sealed the top.

Now the decision... I want to put doming resin on top of that, but I also want to have riveted holes. Do I put the resin on the disc, then drill through once it is cured? Or do I drill & rivet the holes first and then pour the resin around those? Something tells me this will still be sitting on my bench in February, waiting for me to experiment.

Turquoise

2011-11-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

It's a birthstone for December, but I didn't realize that until I had this grouping tagged and ready to go to Simply Charming Boutique. (Speaking of, the shop is now open on Sundays from noon to five for weekend shoppers.) Here's a peek of the collection for the rest of the world...

Happy birthday, December babies!

Messy Wraps

2011-11-11T10:44:00.003-05:00

A lot of things I do go in phases. I get obsessed, I wear it out, I move on. Okay, maybe not quite that extreme, but I am pretty fickle about what I'm into; it's always subject to change. One trend I've noticed in my wirework is a departure from perfect wrapped loops...

Free tutorial on my website
(Link Bracelet)

...in favor of something more organic looking. I call these messy wraps.

They kinda remind me of tornado beads.

Sure, messy wraps use more wire than coiling, but we're talking about 22- to 26-gauge "little guy" wire here. And it's actually easier for me to tuck in the tip of the wire if I do messy wraps instead of perfect coils on briolettes. Dare I say they look more interesting as well?

And messy wraps are a subtle nod to my beloved bird's nests.

But wait! There's more! The other day I was on a turquoise kick and strung some simple strands of beads into necklaces. (Why do I always feel like I have to come up with something new and different when making jewelry? Why do I fight the feeling that *just* stringing beads is uninspired? Sometimes simple is elegant.) This is actually a strand of chrysocolla, but it coordinated nicely with the turquoise grouping.

I wanted the wearer to be able to put this willow toggle clasp at the front, and I love twisted crimps because they feel so solid, but I don't think they're pretty enough for the front of a necklace (left side of photo). And they're too big and flat to fit inside my 2mm crimp covers so necessity led to invention. Rather than order and patiently wait for larger crimp covers, I messy-wrapped the crimps in fine-gauge wire (right side of photo). This also helps take up slack if you decide that your stringing wire is a bit too long after you crimp. Not that this ever happens to me.

Bargain hunting with gold and gemstones

2011-10-13T14:05:00.000-04:00

Last week I took a grouping of my Facets collection to the shop downtown, and in looking back over the pictures a few thoughts occurred to me. High-karat gold and rich, faceted gemstones are really popular right now, even in the tough economic times and sky-high metals market. But I'm too much of a bargain hunter to settle for jewelry designs that cost "a million dollars." (That's my phrase for when something is ridiculously expensive.) Last year I introduced gold-filled (a heavy layer of gold over base metal) components as a price-savvy alternative to solid karat gold, and this past year with the gold market even higher I have found even more economical-yet-fashionable solutions.

I buy stones according to color because my customers are more concerned with the look (Will this match my sweater?) than the pedigree (Is this garnet A-grade?). For this necklace I could pay top dollar for flawless, earthy green briolettes (A-grade peridot, for example) but I chose cubic zirconia to go with the fall mix of citrine, rhodolite garnet, and smoky quartz. And if a stone has a small inclusion it's not like the Gem Police are going to be up in your grill examining as one might, say, an engagement solitaire. So while this may not be a necklace passed down for generations, it does have the color and wear of real gold and the weight of real stones. (Ever have the full-on Monet experience at big retailers? It looks beautiful until you hold it and realize the beads are plastic.)

I have previously drawn the line at gold-plated components because they're generally cheap looking anyway, and because of the thin layer of gold they'll tarnish much sooner. But lately I've put a lot of work sourcing components to get the look of high-karat gold without the pedigree, as with this laurel wreath. It is matte 16K gold-plated brass and, while I know it's not going to wear as tough as gold-fill, it's in a low-traffic setting (pendant) and a heckuva lot less expensive than solid 18K gold. And that sweet little bee in the necklace above is vermeil -- 18K over sterling silver -- so it also has intrinsic value without the price tag of solid gold. Again, these may not become estate pieces, but that also means you don't have to love them forever. (I love yummy soft leather handbags but I never buy them because then I'd feel obligated to carry/repair/love the same bag until I'm 60, and I'm too fickle for that.) So for $39 you get the actual color of high-karat gold along with real citrine and garnet in rich tones for fall on a gold-filled chain.

These pieces (N791, N806) are used for illustrative purposes, but may still be available at Simply Charming Boutique.

Girlfriends' Getaway

2011-09-16T15:27:00.000-04:00

I love the stories that go behind the pieces I make. This set of pendants for a group of ladies who are heading to Santa Fe together. I don't normally use turquoise in stamped pendants, but it was my client's idea and goes perfectly with these copper pieces and their destination.

Have a fun time, Luan and company!

Etched Monogram

2011-09-15T15:26:00.001-04:00

A couple years ago I told you about a project involving a custom texture sheet and metal clay to recreate a bride's wedding invitation on a pendant. Full story here. I'm so glad I posted the graphic I used, because I was able to use it again to make an etched copper disc for the same gal.

Etching is a whole different animal, especially challenging for me when creating custom pieces. I've only accepted etching orders from returning customers and dear friends, but I still kick myself every time I get halfway through a monogram piece and something goes wrong. Eventually I come up with something I love enough to pass on to my customer, so it must be the end products that compel me to try it again.

It is much more fun for me to etch when the results don't matter, like these pendants (already sold - sorry!). If the etched design doesn't turn out I can just repurpose the copper. Making jewelry should be FUN and not stressful!

New at the shop

2011-09-04T16:10:00.001-04:00

I brought a new collection of jewelry downtown to Simply Charming Boutique, so if you're in Winchester, Virginia go have a look! For everyone else, here are some highlights. Some themes are lampwork, brass & copper, orange-y red, and electroplated leaves. It's hard to hide my excitement for fall...

Vertebraid Frame

2011-08-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

A wire artist, Anna Bottega, in Asia (maybe Taiwan?) learned the Vertebraid technique from my tutorial and has created this incredible necklace with labradorite framed in Vertebraid. Stunning! I am so proud.

Original post
Translated (with unintentional humor) by Bing

(Thanks, Corra!)

Naptime=Work time

2011-08-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

I have a two-year-old who naps during the afternoons. Mostly. Her preschool starts September 7 and until then her naptimes are really the only time I have to work. So today when the house started shaking and there was no evidence of wind or large truck or explosion, I walked downstairs, noted the time, and went back to pricing and tagging the new round of jewelry for the shop. After all, time is money. And when my husband called my cell I ignored it because he knows when I'm working I don't run downstairs to get the phone that lives in my purse. In fact, when he emailed shortly thereafter to ask if I was okay, I tartly emailed back to say I was working and if he wanted to talk he could call the phone in my studio. (I figured he was just worried because I didn't answer my cell.) So then he wrote back and said he'd been trying to call, the phone lines are down, and did I feel the quake?

Quake? Really? Oh, that. It crossed my mind when the house was rattling that it might be a quake, but I figured it was local and might not even register on the Richter scale, so there was no sense in getting worked up. After all, it's naptime and I was focused on getting my new inventory priced. Then I realized the quake was making the front page of CNN.com and my entire news feed on FaceBook.

So yeah, we had a 5.8 earthquake here in Virginia, it was over before I realized what it was, and we're fine.

(stolen from FB -- sorry and thanks to the original poster!)

Community

2011-08-22T08:30:00.001-04:00

I live in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, which is beautiful and a slower pace than our former location in Delaware. When we moved here four years ago I taught classes at the local bead stores and found a fabulous place to sell my jewelry in town, but we also started a family and I've had to cut back on how much traveling I can do.

Swanstroms on the wall at Parlehuset

In Delaware I could hop on the train and shop for supplies all day in Manhattan. I used to teach four bead classes in a week. And when I wasn't teaching I could hobnob with other jewelry aficionados who were in the bead shop. I was in a local chapter of a bead society. Bead Fest and Wire Fest and several traveling bead shows would come within an hour's drive, and I had several jewelry friends in town whom I could meet for dinner and talk shop. I used to go with Steve on his business trips and check out the local jewelry scene while he was in meetings. (My favorite is Parlehuset in Gothenburg, Sweden.)

We moved to Virginia to be close to my parents while we started a family, and I am so glad we did. It has been a huge help to be in a support system of friends and family while we have small children, and I'm so thankful it has worked out for Steve to work from here. However, I don't really know any local jewelry people here, so that community is online and sometimes I feel isolated "out here." I have met local professional jewelers and people who dabble in beads as a hobby, but none of my friends can really relate to what it's like to be a jewelry designer and a mom at the same time.

I do know a few jewelry people through the web who can relate on that level, so when we're in the same neck of the woods I make a point to get together. While we were at the beach I had coffee with Lori Anderson, who is so knowledgable about the biz and so giving with her time and talents (and stays home with her 8-year-old son). Love her. This weekend she had a show near Dulles, so I got a sitter so I could sit and chat with her at the booth yesterday afternoon. It is practically therapeutic for me just to be able to talk about Stringing Magazine or lampwork or blogs or volcanic gemstones -- and with someone who knows what I'm talking about. At the show I also got to meet Jeanette Blix of Fundametals and ArtBliss Workshops. (Still hoping to meet Cindy Wimmer some day! Maybe at the ArtBliss meet & greet.)

So if you're heading down interstate 81 and you want to grab a cup of coffee and talk about jewelry making, I'd love to hear from you!

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-08-10T17:26:00.000-04:00

I'm not very good at telling you guys what's new in my studio, but it happens to be Wednesday and I have seen other jewelry artists participate in this, so I thought it would be fun to post about what's on my bead table today.

Trying to stockpile pieces for fall, I'm working in series rather than my usual, "make what I feel like making today." The current series is (begrudgingly) utilizing my stash of Koy Glass lampwork beads. Some of the donuts have rather large holes, and usually this doesn't bother me because I stick a bead cap over it or a bead in the hole and it looks more polished. But donuts are worn with the hole showing, so I chose to line them with silver or copper tubing, which I get in the plumbing department at Lowes.

This is one of several "bead tables" in my studio, so maybe another Wednesday I will show you the organized chaos of my real bead table. Here are the copper-lined big-hole-beads I did today.

And with all the tap-tap-tapping I woke up my studio partner, who was napping across the hall. So I put her to work stringing beads. Here is her bead table.

What's on your table?

New tutorial

2011-08-06T23:26:00.000-04:00

I have been making Puffy Hearts, these awesome sparkly beaded crystal pendants, for years now. Once in a while I'll get an email from somebody requesting something different -- another shape or color pattern. So here is my latest jewelry tutorial ready for download...

Puffy Heart Addendum: Center Gradient

(Click there to go to my jewelry tutorials page.)

In other news, having a baby on the way (boy! October 21) requires me to gear back on certain areas of my business. The silver market is in the $40s this week, which has made it difficult to keep my kit prices affordable and sterling wire in stock, so I'm suspending my kit offerings and just doing tutorials for now.

Hope you're having a fun summer!

Lampwork station

2011-06-22T21:58:00.002-04:00

When we lived in Delaware I had my lampwork torch set up in the basement of an 1860s row home, with the hood venting through a removable pane in the nearby window. It was dark so I could see the glass color as it melted, and it was cool even in the summertime (which is important when you're working near a torch). And then we moved to Virginia. Now our house is a suburban colonial. Melting glass in a carpeted bedroom (my studio) is not an option. The basement is finished except for a below-grade (no window) storage room, so I couldn't just recreate my former setup. We now have a garage (thankfully) but there is no place to vent a hood except for large openings like doors, and if you are venting bad air out a large opening, the fumes are going to come right back in. So for 3 1/2 years I pondered but did nothing. Then a series of events happened to get the ball rolling...

Mom & Olivia watching the glassblower

1. On New Year's Eve we went to the local First Night celebration, and included in the entertainment was a demonstration in the studio of a new glassblower. I was so excited to have a real live glassworker right in town here. A few days later I talked to him on the phone to inquire about renting studio space since it is close to Olivia's preschool.

2. The next week I met lampworker Hope Gibson when we were in St. Croix. The most important thing I brought home with me is her motto, "Relatively Close." Her beads may not be perfect, but they're gorgeous and she doesn't sweat the small stuff. I have pockets of perfectionism here and there, to the point of not being able to try certain things if I don't think I can do them perfectly. Lampwork falls into that category, and I need to constantly remind myself that I am not going for awards; I just maybe need some blue beads. (Hope's other motto is "Be bold, eat chocolate, wear art" and I have taken that to heart as well.)

Helping Mommy buy downspouts

The local glassblower never called me back about studio space, and that turned out to be exactly what I needed. I still had all my equipment (torch, hoses, kiln, oxycon) from our old house, so I finally decided to have a contractor install a window in the garage with sashes the size of a box fan. Then I got a great idea for glass rod storage from Kerry Bogert using vinyl downspouts.

And right after that I found out I was pregnant and spent the next few months (first trimester) exhausted and napping whenever I could. I had lost my steam, and all I had really needed was some new bead release. (Bead release is the stuff that keeps the glass from permanently adhering to the metal rod around which you are winding the glass.) But...

3. Two weeks ago I drove through the Finger Lakes region on my way to my in-laws' house. I stopped in at Artizanns in Naples, NY and found this awesome bracelet with wonky, earth-toned beads. Wonky=irregularly shaped, and in this case it was fabulous! Very organic, where lampwork is often bright, cheerful, and perfect. It made me want to make beads -- earthy, sloppy ones. So I ordered some new glass colors (first time trying Creation is Messy) and fresh bead release. I still need to test out the hose connections and pressure, then do an incense test on the ventilation.

So... I'm closer to making some lampwork than I was six months ago, but I'm still not there yet. Not to mention that school is out so Olivia is home every morning and I am trying to work ahead making jewelry to sell in the fall when our baby is due. Glass rods don't go bad, just the bead release. So if I don't get to do everything on my studio to-do list this year, so be it. I'm in the season of Having Small Children and that's what's important right now. I'm down with OPB (other people's beads).

Art Studio Tour

2011-06-06T17:25:00.000-04:00

Loudon County, Virginia has an amazing group of artists who open their studio doors to the public each June. This weekend is the sixth annual Western Loudon Art Studio Tour with over fifty different studio artists who do all sorts of things like ceramics, photography, jewelry, painting, and the coolest embroidery I've ever seen, by Kara Laughlin of Crewel Whorled. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, and Great Country Farms is overrun by strawberry pickers, check out this Studio Tour!

State of the Studio

2011-05-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

I never quite know what to tell people who ask how my jewelry business is going. Actually, more frequently it's something like, "Are you still doing that beading thing?" I usually end up saying something like, "It's going really well, thanks!" and leave out the fact that I managed to nap every afternoon during my first trimester and still managed to crank out a successful spring line (which is now mostly gone, sorry!). I am so thankful for the gals at Simply Charming Boutique in downtown Winchester for doing such a great job of selling my pieces.
You may remember in the fall I switched gears to focus on two new lines, Facets and Elements. They both did really well over Christmas. I expected there to be the typical lull during the winter before working on spring, and considering the crazy metals market (silver doubled in the past year) I figured sales would taper off. But every month (instead of every quarter) I've had to restock my collection and I'm finally starting to realize that I don't get to be the Lazy Jewelry Gal any more. I still get to dabble a little in new techniques (like resin and polymer clay) but gone are the days when I get to chronicle every activity on my blog or upload pictures of my inventory. To my out-of-town readers, I apologize for keeping all my jewelry captive in the Shenandoah Valley, but I guarantee if you come visit you will have a beautiful trip. This summer I am going to try to work ahead a little and build a collection for fall & Christmas, and once that's underway I will try to post some pictures, but come October I may be off the grid for a while because we're expecting another baby. !!!

So... I may not get around to posting anything new from my studio, but AnneMade Jewelry doing well and I'm still having fun!

ArtBLISS 2011

2011-05-04T13:26:00.000-04:00

My jewelry pal, Cindy Wimmer, has just announced the schedule for the 2011 ArtBliss workshops in Northern Virginia. Click here for more information. Registration opens this Saturday and classes have been known to sell out!

Flower Bud Earrings Tutorial

2011-04-11T21:08:00.000-04:00

My brand new Flower Bud Earrings Tutorial is finished and available for instant download here.

This is the first of my tutorials I have classified as "metalwork" as it didn't quite qualify for wirework as we start with sheet metal. As an added bonus I talk about how to make your own ball-head pins using a butane torch. I've come to realize that I can do most of my soldering projects with this little guy while my oxy-acetylene outfit now sits, unloved, in the shed. Figures. We aren't soldering in this project, however; it involves cold connections and these little flower buds actually aren't that difficult to make. And with silver passing the $40 mark I am trying to tastefully incorporate some alternative metals like copper and brass.

Happy Spring, y'all!

Helping Haitian Angels

2011-04-07T10:58:00.001-04:00

I like to share when I have a project that touches my heart. This time it was for a woman named Debbie who, with her husband, started an orphanage in Haiti that has helped save the lives of countless children since it opened in 2008. Watching this informational video absolutely brought me to tears, and I am so proud of the work they are doing.

Debbie commissioned me to make special thank-you gifts for the volunteers who have traveled multiple times to Haiti to help out with the orphanage. Together we designed these pendants (with angel wing charms) for the ladies and keychains for the guys that read the name of the orphanage, Helping Hatian Angels.

Spring is here

2011-04-02T16:59:00.003-04:00

Hi, gang! It's been a busy spring here in my studio, on account of the miserable weather we've had. A new collection of pieces is looking happy at the shop downtown...

I've also been able to work on some other projects like...

...the PMC Round Box Pendant tutorial! It is a pretty simple and straightforward design, but I take you through step-by-step with little tips on things to look out for along the way. I also show you how to modify the design to make your own resin blanks.

This is a snippet from a map of Gothenburg, Sweden, in case you're wondering.

More tutorials are in the works! See that pair of flower bud earrings up there? Hint, hint.

A little background

2011-03-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

I go back and forth wanting to keep the background of my jewelry photos neutral and consistent, and then getting bored with that and wanting to use props. Lately I've found some fun things with which to give my new pieces some company in photos.

Slate (flagstone?) from our patio

Old books, salvaged architectural elements

I love how this rusty metal sets off the white and shiny silver in this bracelet

Love

2011-02-14T16:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you get to do something fun with a loved one.

Playing with Polymer

2011-02-04T15:18:00.138-05:00

People often ask me how long I've been making jewelry, which usually requires a follow-up question like, "How long have I been making jewelry like I make now?"

You see, when I was a kid my parents wouldn't let me get my ears pierced, so naturally I was fixated on what I couldn't have. Using my dad's tools I would bend telephone wire, gleaned from a construction site, into little clip-on earrings. I had turquoise ones and yellow ones and I didn't care how ugly or dirty they were. Later I found some kidney-wire earrings at a craft store and clipped them upside-down to my lobes because it looked like the end of the wire was going into my ear like a real earring. Hot stuff! Add to the mix my great aunt, who mined and polished her own stones and got me interested in rock tumbling, and I was a full-on jewelry nerd. I got really good at wire-wrapping those slippery tumbled stones to make pendants, though, so now wrapping sea glass is second nature. My friend Jenny, whom I've known since 6th grade, recently asked me to wire-wrap this piece of larimar, and (kindly) noted that I've come a long way since my rock tumbling days.

What were we talking about? Oh yeah, polymer clay. Also during my middle school years I got a sampler pack of Cernit clay at a train show (my Dad is into model trains). Soon I got into polymer clay (sounds like I'm dabbling in drugs) and would read Nan Roche's The New Clay like it was my job. I worked with polymer clay on into high school and thought it was really cool to make earrings as miniature versions of the designs in special outfits. That's when I got started with beads, too, back before internet shopping. So when I say I've been making jewelry since I was a kid, my products back then are not what I consider lovely today. I haven't any examples to show you, although my mother still wears her vintage AnneMade Jewelry to my chagrin.

These days (meaning now that I have a jewelry business) after I have a chance to recover from the holiday season of making and selling jewelry and all our Christmas festivities, it's usually the dead of winter and I get a yearning for spring. I do have to work ahead of the season, so it's not unusual for me to use delicate pastels and beachy brights at this time of year. I've been itching to play with polymer clay again and make some pendants for spring. And I love that my original sampler pack of Sculpey is still as good as it was 20 years ago. Polymer clay has come a long way since then, including the development stronger formulas, liquid clay, and surface techniques like mica shift. I have always been too cheap to invest in a pasta machine, but today I realized that hand-kneading clay takes forever.

(I think it's funny that my clay turned out the same color as the shopping list I created while kneading it. Love this color!) So yesterday I printed out a Michael's coupon and headed there as soon as Olivia woke up from her nap. I also found treasures in the stamping aisle (alcohol inks to color liquid Sculpey, dye ink pads for rubber stamping, clear stamps so you can see what you're doing). And what a difference the pasta machine makes! It's like a mini rolling mill, in fact I could run texture through with the clay. Once I knead the clay to get it soft, mixing colors on the machine is so easy. And after working with PMC so much, it's so great not to have to worry about a piece drying out on me. If I don't like it I just ball it up and try again. I do have to worry about foreign particles, though, because I'm not firing this clay in a kiln like PMC. (Side note: PMC people, if you're looking for Teflon paper to use as a work surface, Michaels has it in the stamp/ink aisle.)

Another creative chapter in my past is painting. If you come to my house I may not point them out, but several of the pictures on our walls are watercolors and drawings I did in high school. And if you've ever worked with oil paint (or acrylic) you'll know the concept of color saturation. A tiny dab of alizarin crimson or titanium white is all it takes to affect the whole glob of paint because those colors are so saturated. Same goes with certain colors of polymer clay, so if you're just starting out remember to mix in only a little bit of a new color at a time.

I view the Pantone season forecast a little like I view the Farmer's Almanac. Does anyone ever look back and grade them on how accurate they were, or do we just trust them? I live in a small town out in the country, so we're a little behind the style trends anyway, so I tend to just use what I like. Right now it's orchid.

Did it again! This ballet pink pendant matched another Post-It. Maybe I need to get my fashion forecast from 3M.

We're not in Kansas anymore

2011-02-03T22:09:00.001-05:00

My Silver Tangle necklace featuring a tornado bead is featured along with other whirling, swirling items (including a cupcake!) in this Etsy treasury from windowfog.

In the vastness of Etsy it warms my heart to be noticed. Thanks, windowfog! Love your string ornaments, especially the Be Still My [anatomically correct] Heart.

Resinating

2011-01-28T14:58:00.003-05:00

Auntie's Beads recently contacted me to try some of their products in exchange for telling all of you wonderful people about them. Lately I've been yearning to try some more resin projects, so I chose several of their glue-in-and-glaze charms on this page. They are plated instead of solid precious metal, which means they are a bargain and yet have a nice weight to them.

One of the other resin blanks I used during this round of resin is one I made from scraps of PMC. It has French script on the back and I traced around it on rice paper to get the right size of insert. Another option is to use a paper punch if you're using calibrated bezel cups. Or, Auntie's Beads offers a template card for sale so you don't have to guess while cutting a paper for, say, the oval glue-in-and-glaze charms.

I was more interested in getting the project finished than I was in the aesthetics of each piece, but I did try including some seed beads and a sprinkling of fine glitter. On our trip to Savannah I found an awesome art supply store and picked up some Japanese decorative paper, so I inculded some of that as well.

The charms from Auntie's Beads are pretty shallow, so there's not a lot of room in the well to hold 3-dimensional found objects, but it also means it won't use up a lot of resin volume like the die-cut bezel cup pictured here. If you're just using decorative paper or photographs, they would work great. Another benefit of the glue-in-and-glaze charms is that they come as links, ready to make into jewelry when the resin dries. For these sterling bezel cups I have to solder on rings, and that's just a pain.

I use Colores doming resin from Rio Grande, which is a two-part non-yellowing epoxy with a long open time so you can mess around with your design before it cures. Resin is all the rage in Jewelry World right now and next I think I want to try UV resin. No careful mixing, no waiting all night for it to cure. It costs more, but considering I've used about half an ounce of the huge bottles I have, that shouldn't be a big deal.

I liked how the charms from Auntie's Beads turned out. Like I said, they are inexpensive and have a nice weight to them, and they have rings attached so these are all ready to link into a design.

Steampunk is another trend right now in Jewelry World, and in some of these pieces I included some watch gears I found on eBay years ago.

I also have some decorative brads from the scrapbook aisle that are in the shape of keyholes, but they are hollow and lightweight so I thought they would be good candidates for resin.

I snipped off the brad parts and, since they have holes already, stuck them to a piece of packing tape so the resin wouldn't leak out. And because their holes are now closed I drilled through the resin with my Dremel in order to link these components to other things. I could have placed brass tubing for the holes and "resin'ed" around it, but it seemed like a hassle to keep things from moving around with wet epoxy in the equation. My only complaint about the tape-back method is that it gave sort of a matte finish on the back instead of the shiny clear on the top side.

Puffy Hearts

2011-01-21T23:54:00.001-05:00

I just delivered a group of Puffy Heart necklaces to the shop downtown. I weave these together from 73 Swarovski crystals and they are perfect for Valentine's season or just to add a little bling to an otherwise plain outfit. I am in love with the top color, Indian Pink 2XAB, an orangey pink with two coatings of Aurora Borealis, or AB. Basically, gold is held in a flame and the resulting fumes land on the surface of the crystal to make a shimmery rainbow coating. Clockwise the colors are Indian Pink 2XAB, Light Siam AB, Indian Pink AB, Fuchsia AB (bottom), Rose AB, Crystal AB (off to the left), and Siam AB, with Cyclamen AB in the center.

These take some time to make and I still have to follow the tutorial, but it is fun to see it puff out on the final step, and they are so sparkly in person. I brought packs of crystals, a spool of illusion cord, and nail clippers with me on vacation last week so I could make hearts on our day at sea or in the airport. (My husband snapped this shot of me in our stateroom. The bracelet is by Hope Gibson, a fantastic lampworker I met in St. Croix.)

My tutorial for the Puffy Heart Pendant is available for download here if you want to give it a go, or you can email me if you want to order a puffy heart in any color ($49 with chain). Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

I love my job

2010-12-27T22:42:00.000-05:00

I just want to say THANK YOU to my customers, friends, and family who have helped make 2010 another great year for AnneMade Jewelry. It never ceases to amaze, tickle, and humble me that something so fun can also be successful.

I give a huge amount of credit to Simply Charming Boutique, the only place you can see and hold and try on my creations in person. Brenda Adams and her team have created a fabulous place for women in Winchester to shop for all kinds of jewelry and fun gifts like monogrammed umbrellas, cowboy rain boots, and Vera Bradley.

Happy new year!

Tattoo Pendant

2010-12-09T13:59:00.000-05:00

I like to share about custom orders that have a story behind them. A few years ago my friend Josh suggested I make jewelry from tattoo images. I pshaw-ed him at the time, picturing skulls and dragons, until I discovered henna tattoos. I never did anything with that (the idea is still filed away for a rainy day!) but I was recently contacted to design a piece for a woman whose husband's tribal-style tattoo bears the initials of their children: K, G, and W. Their friend who commissioned the piece sent me this picture of the tattoo to use. No problem, right?

After playing around with the image in Photoshop I created a Custom Texture Sheet (tutorial here) and rolled my PMC over the top. Bada bing, bada boom:

If you want to hear more "Behind the Jewelry" stories, click here or on the "Custom" label below.

Sugarloaf Craft Festival December 10-12

2010-11-28T15:01:00.004-05:00

If you're like me, the term "handmade" or "craft show" can conjure up images of NFL quillows and needlepoint Kleenex covers...

Birdseye cherry Shaker sewing box by Suffolk Shaker Shop

However, Steve and I love going to *juried* festivals where the artisans produce all sorts of beautiful and high-quality wares. The Sugarloaf Craft Festival is coming to Chantilly, Virginia December 10-12 and boasts 250 craftspeople exihibiting everything from handweaving to metal forging, soup mixes to wheel-thrown pottery. If you're looking for something more creative than a gift card for a loved one on your Christmas list, this is the place to be. Or, if you're like me you'll be shopping for yourself because these handworks are so cool. In addition to being able to buy directly from the artisans, the show also features live demonstrations, music, and theatre performances for the kids. To preview the work of the more than 250 artists participating in the show and see the full schedule of entertainment, visit http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/ or www.facebook.com/sugarloafcrafts.

Email me if you're interested in FREE TICKETS! anne@annemade-jewelry.com

Mark your calendars because there's another Sugarloaf Chantilly right around the corner, January 28-30, 2011!

http://www.buyhandmade.org/

Shop Small

2010-11-22T07:20:00.001-05:00

This Saturday, November 27, is Small Business Saturday. Instead of making plans to fight the crowds at the big-box stores at 6am on Black Friday, perhaps you could go hiking or spend time with your family instead. And on Saturday check out your local art co-op, get your nails done, and eat at an independent restaurant. Show these small business owners that you support your community.

Even if you don't do your Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving weekend, I encourage you to buy local and handcrafted as much as you can. And if hand-knit and wheel-thrown are your thing, make an Etsy wish list so your loved ones can find something more creative than a gift card.

Spread the word!

(Pinked Pins by MollyauContraire on Etsy)

Pearlized Winter Whites

2010-11-14T14:28:00.000-05:00

My Rebecca earrings are part of this beautiful treasury on Etsy. Click here to see the collection!

Two New Tutorials

2010-10-13T08:10:00.000-04:00

Custom Texture Sheets for Metal Clay or Polymer Clay

Remember this custom pendant I created from a wedding invitation? Now you can make your own raised monograms, or you can type out a phrase in a pretty font to use again and again instead of stamping each letter individually. Like this.

Click here for the tutorial.

Vertebraid Bangle

This is a square/round (as opposed to flat) braid created with doubled strands of fine-gauge wire. It makes an interesting base for sliders or Pandora beads. Click here for the tutorial.

I had this braid sitting on my desk all summer; I'd pick it up and work on it when my computer was busy processing so I don't really know how long it took me to braid. I think it takes less time than Viking Weave, but then again it depends on your proficiency at each.

Enjoy these new projects!

Purple, Pink, & Orange

2010-10-12T15:28:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned before how I'm currently enamored with the look of purple, pink, and orange together. It all started with something I saw in San Francisco. I got the idea to make a set of stacking rings with these colors and (in the middle of the night) scrawled a sketch on our hotel memo pad. That was back in March, and I finally took the time to make them. Pink topaz, mandarin garnet, amethyst, and an olive green CZ as stacking rings so I can mix and match depending on my mood. The inspiration piece was 18K gold, which is really pricey right now, so I'm compromising by sending these to be matte vermeil'ed.

Facets at Simply Charming

2010-09-27T14:36:00.001-04:00

I posted photos of the initial members of my Facets line, heading shortly to Simply Charming Boutique. Preview the collection here. Once I started working with gold again it made sterling seem kind of boring, so there are more gold pieces than silver. Maybe it's because gold is just perfect for fall and I have a hankering for cool weather and crunchy leaves.

The Facets collection includes genuine faceted stones like garnet (grossular green, brown hessonite, traditional almandine, pink rhodolite), citrine (both pale and topaz-y deep), burnt orange carnelian, amethyst, apatite, iolite, smoky quartz, and did I mention gold!

I used a lot of gold-fill components, which is a heavy layer of 12-14K gold over a base metal core. It has the look and durability of 14 karat gold without the $1,297/oz price tag. I also used some vermeil (ver-MAY), which is a sterling silver base heavily plated with high-karat (18-22K) gold so it is solid precious metal and has that rich yellow color like museum jewelry. I love the way it looks with pink, orange, and purple.

Simply Charming Boutique has reopened in its new location (with free parking) and I can't tell you in words how BEAUTIFUL it is! My jaw dropped open when I first walked in, partly because it's an old building with wonderful architectural details, and partly because Brenda has filled it with all kinds of wonderful things. Go have a look if you're near Winchester, Virginia!

If you're not lucky enough to be in the Shenandoah Valley but you want to get details about the pieces, feel free to email me for pricing and availability of any items in the Facets or Elements collections, or you can check out the rest of my jewelry at my Etsy shop.

Spoils

2010-09-16T15:07:00.000-04:00

I never know where I'm going to find ingredients for jewelry. We visited Steve's parents near Rochester over Labor Day. One afternoon Steve and I went into town to check out the Neighborhood of the Arts. Found a great antique store I can't afford, a bakery that sells wedding cake by the slice, one of the best museum gift shops I've ever seen, and finally a junk-tique store where I found some treasures. Skeleton keys, antique buttons (from the estate of a button collector), and ~~ugly~~ vintage pillowcases that will make cute little dresses for my girl.

Facets Collection

2010-09-15T09:50:00.006-04:00

Now that my Elements collection is having fun in its new home my jewelry-making is now geared toward another new collection called Facets.

Where Elements is rustic, neutral, and casual, Facets is bright, sparkly, and colorful. I intend for the pieces to work together to make a layered look, or to be worn separately based what you're wearing.

Pictured here is a 20" sterling bubble chain with amethyst, peridot, and apatite. It can be paired with the amethyst solitaire pendant on an 18" chain and the cluster earrings. Or if your top has a lot going on you could do just the earrings or solitaire.

As with the Elements collection, I challenged myself to create pieces that embracing the current economic climate; interesting without breaking the bank. Just because you see gold and faceted stones, don't expect to pay a million dollars for them. I love to bargain hunt, even with beads.

Etching

2010-09-14T10:09:00.002-04:00

You can read about my initial foray into etching in earlier posts, saltwater and acid. I finally had the time to do the real commissioned piece, and my customer chose the chiseled font (which we agreed looks better with her initials than a script). However, that also meant I needed to find a way to transfer the image from my computer onto the surface of the copper to act as a resist. Because I have known how to etch in theory for years, I also have a collection of websites with helpful info. This one explains how to use a printer or photocopier for image transfer, and it worked successfully. This piece looks pretty on its new owner with her beautiful red hair. Copper is so perfect for fall, and this is a unique monogram pendant that is not available in stores.

Fall 2010 Elements Collection

2010-08-30T15:31:00.002-04:00

See pictures here...
http://www.annemade-jewelry.com/elements.htm

The collection is carried exclusively by Simply Charming Boutique in Winchester, Virginia. Brenda does a terrific job selling my jewelry as her customers can touch it and try it on and see the colors and scale in real life.

In the past I have spent an amazing amount of time describing and editing several pictures of each piece to list on the web, but now this is my way of showing my readers what's new while being judicious with my time. I realize not all of you will be visiting the Shenandoah Valley this fall, so if you see something you like and want to see if it's still available, just click on the photo and email me with the web address (URL) or item number (i.e. N540). To give you an idea of the order of magnitude, prices are $18-29 for earrings, and bracelets and necklaces are mostly in the $30-$50 range.

Color

2010-08-29T14:29:00.001-04:00

My Elements collection is well underway, so I've moved from production mode to pricing/tagging mode. Ugh. Not my favorite part, so the procrastinator in me looks for something fun for distraction. Another line!

My Facets collection is next so I've been ~~in purchasing mode~~ shopping for faceted stones and chain. It's taken me awhile, but I'm embracing gold again. I'm planning to have both silver and gold and colorful stones like peridot, amethyst, citrine, garnet, and maybe some Swarovski crystal to fill in where nature is either lacking or cost prohibitive. On Friday I got to visit one of my favorite places, Sparkles Bead Shop in Newark, Delaware. Connie, the owner and my precious friend, walked me through the new Swarovski colors, and just standing in front of a halogen-lit wall of sparkling facets was so inspiring.

One part of working with color that is not my strong suit is putting different colors together. When I get dressed in the morning and choose a colorful shirt, I wear neutral pants (or my beloved green capri pants with a neutral shirt). That's a color cop-out, especially when I love how other people put bright colors together. So I've learned little tricks that help me out, like looking at a non-jewelry item to get inspiration. When I go to the fabric store and don't really need anything, I'll walk around and look at color combinations used in the fabrics. Pictured here is pile of picnic blankets I saw in Parents Magazine. (When I joke that I never really leave work, I'm not entirely joking.)

I do the same in the scrapbooking section because those color combos tend to be a little more contemporary. Also in that magazine was this ad for lice medication, but here is the part I saw: turquoise, avocado, burnt orange, chocolate, mustard. I'm drawn to circle motifs, but I'm training myself to be in "color mode" these days.

I've had a break and let myself get distracted while still being productive, so now I'll go back to the grindstone and finish pricing and tagging Elements. I'm planning to put a gallery page up so people outside the Shenandoah Valley can see what's new, too. Will keep you posted!

Photography tip

2010-08-26T14:16:00.000-04:00

You can read online about how to use your macro setting (the little flower icon) or how to have good lighting. I put my pieces on my workbench, an unfinished hollow-core door near a north-facing window. My tip for the day is after you do all that polishing and you're taking close-ups....

...remember to wear neutral clothing. That's me in the pink.

Acid etching

2010-08-17T16:46:00.001-04:00

I used the same sample piece of copper for etching with ferric chloride since it was still masked with duct tape from Etching Round 1. I traced over the monograms with a Sharpie oil-based paint marker as the resist, which seems to have a more consistent application than a regular Sharpie but is much easier to use than nail polish. (Available in three thicknesses where art supplies are sold, in my case at Michaels.) I let the copper plate sit in the etching solution for about an hour, checking it every 20 minutes or so to see how it was going. It's hard for me to tell how much etching is happening because the resist itself is three-dimensional, but finally I couldn't wait any longer so I rinsed the piece off and removed the resist with acetone.

You can actually see both rounds of etching in the top of the closer monogram and the circles around both (which were only salt water etched). Etching is a much more subtle texture than what I normally do with PMC. And, like I said, it's hard to tell how much etching is happening during the process, so I guess salt water etching was more effective than I thought.

At least now I can honestly say I can etch copper.

Confessions of a beadaholic

2010-08-16T16:07:00.000-04:00

My dad has a work area in the basement of our family cabin in the mountains. It's a place to tinker with things and to store his tools. He has screws and bolts and washers organized in old baby food jars nailed through the lids to the under side of the stairway. I wish I had a photo, it's really quite clever. Anyway, my post today was not about how to store tiny things like beads so they are visible, but to confess that I recently raided his stash for some rusty old pieces to use as jewelry components.

The locking washer was actually split on one side, so I wired it together with sterling and it now serves as part of the clasp. I tumbled the components and sealed them so I don't have to worry about rust stains on clothing. There's nothing like real patina on metal.

Salt Water Etching

2010-08-15T17:39:00.011-04:00

My friend Trice, who sews and will monogram anything that isn't nailed down (and does a great job), sent me this picture and asked if I could make her one. I could tell it is a copper pendant, most likely etched. In theory I can do copper etching, and I have the bookmarked web pages to prove it, but in reality I had never tried it. Most of my customers want this type of look in silver, so I normally use PMC with a custom texture sheet. (Note to self: write a tutorial for that.)

I wanted to try salt water etching because I aim to be The Lazy Etcher, so I'd prefer to just pour the solution in the sink when I'm finished and "chase it down with plenty of water," as my organic chem professor used to say. I dragged my husband, whom I met in that o-chem lab, to Radio Shack to obtain a single D cell battery holder and a couple of alligator clips. I noted that The Shack also carries ferric chloride in case this method didn't work. (Ferric chloride just needs baking soda to neutralize it anyway, not that bad.) I also noted the irony that it's usually the husband dragging the wife to Radio Shack. Thank you for not being an electronics geek, sweetie.

Which of these does not belong?

Well, they all do in this case. After sanding a piece of 24ga copper with steel wool I cleaned it with acetone (okay, nail polish remover), then alcohol. I freehanded the monogram with a Sharpie, which didn't look awesome but this was just a test run anyway. I put a spot of nail polish in the margin to note the difference in masking quality. I wrapped the back and edges of the copper in duct tape to keep them from being eaten away, then I cut another piece of copper to be the cathode. A spoonful of salt, a glass of warm water, and some wirework skills to attach the clips to the leads on the battery. Clippy clippy, dunk dunk, battery in, and I was in business. Bubbles started forming on the cathode, which was a good sign. After about 10 minutes brown sludge appeared around the anode side (another good sign). After 20 minutes I still wasn't seeing much etching going on, so I added more salt.

Sigh.

I let it go for over an hour (instructions found on the web suggested etching for 5-60 minutes), then used acetone to clean off the resist. My design was still shiny while the negative space was matte, which indicated that my resist was working, but there was no cut (nothing was really etched away). Stay tuned for Round 2.

Creating a Line

2010-08-04T09:19:00.004-04:00

Simply Charming Boutique, the wonderful store downtown where most of my jewelry is for sale, is moving from the Loudon Street Mall around the corner to Picadilly Street. The owner, Brenda, is expanding her artisan jewelry collection and encouraged me to "have more of a theme" with my collection.

I am well aware that my style is all over the board, and until now I have kind of just made whatever I feel like. Over the past six years (has it already been that long?!) I have heard many people suggest having one cohesive "line" each season. I've put it off because I'm into lots of different techniques and styles, so it's hard for me to pick one or two. What if I my line doesn't sell because I chose a style that doesn't interest people? I guess I'll have to risk it. And for the pieces that don't fit the look of the current line, I can list them on Etsy for people outside of my little town.

In September when the shop moves I'll probably have a larger space at the new location, but I don't want it to be crammed with stuff. I keep telling myself I can always add to it if pieces sell. Right now it's the middle of summer and I took the end of July to brainstorm. For the first line ("Elements") I'm going to use mostly metal (instead of stones, pearls, lampwork, etc.) to give me a chance to do some metalwork. I want it to have a rustic feel: oxidized metalwork, handmade components, a mix of metals, brushed finishes.

Since becoming a mom my daytime priority has shifted from jewelry to my daughter. I make jewelry when I have time; usually it's during her afternoon nap. (I purposefully keep the lighting in my studio "bad" in order to make myself leave work and have a break when it's dark outside.) This week I'm having babysitters come over to play with Olivia in the mornings, which gives me another chunk of time each day and lets me stay focused. My fingers are constantly black from oxidizing and polishing, but it feels good to have a goal. I'll work on the Elements line until it feels like I have enough for a grouping, and hopefully after that I'll start on a second line: rich, deep colors, faceted stones, chain... Will keep you posted!

On the move

2010-08-03T20:08:00.000-04:00

Simply Charming Boutique will be moving in September to 25 West Piccadilly Street, right around the corner from the walking mall PLUS a parking lot for your convenience. This is the shop in downtown Winchester that sells most of my jewelry, and I'm currently working on my fall line to go in my new, bigger space. I am so excited for Brenda ; it is a beautiful old house that has seen many wonderful businesses and I think it will make a great new home for the shop.

New location

2010-06-28T21:58:00.001-04:00

Hey, Winchester! There is a new salon in Creekside (the original section way to the left) called J. Jett Salon & Company. I've been getting my hair cut by Jamie (the owner) for about a year now and she's great! (540) 686-7225 I love that she's a straight shooter, and I think Creekside is a good location for her. Her mom Janet is the shampoo girl who also gives hand massages.

And? There is a small selection of AnneMade Jewelry for sale at J. Jett Salon ...

$30 Pendant necklaces

Hand-stamped pendants ($30-40)

The majority of my inventory is still at Simply Charming Boutique on the Loudon Street walking mall. I love Brenda and think she's doing a fantastic job with the shop. Every time I go in there things are different and new, which I know is a lot of work but makes it more fun for us to shop.

The lazy saw-er

2010-05-25T15:29:00.004-04:00

I loathe using my jeweler's saw. I will use cutters or shears as much as I can, and only then I will saw. It just seems so inefficcient! Rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr.... Today I was cutting 10ga wire for soldering into rings, so I wanted the ends to be flush. I waxed the blade and begrudgingly got to work. Wanted to make several rings to save a little efficiency, I made a coil with my ring-forming pliers so I could cut them all at once. "Once" meaning one 5-minute sawing run. (Yawn.)

Some people say they get into a rhythm when sawing, that it's actually relaxing. Because for once I wasn't trying to cut something like a heart out of sheet, I actually understood what they meant.

And then I broke my saw blade. Maybe the first time ever, but at least in the past few years. I told you I don't saw that much, but now it feels like I'm a real jeweler breaking saw blades like the big boys. I'm sure I'd jump even if I broke one every day. (Cheryl, I know you are laughing because you saw as often as you can. Like, don't you slice carrots with your jeweler's saw?)

Now if only I could find my spare saw blades. I have moved my studio twice since I needed a new one, so I scrapped the search efforts and finished a ring I'd already cut. Fused ends, hammered a flat surface, stamped with leaves, then stamped, "To thine own self be true" on the other side. Great idea for a grad!

Baby, You make my HEART sing!!!

2010-05-23T17:45:00.001-04:00

My Puffy Heart Tutorial is listed in this treasury on Etsy. Check it out!

Eye Candy

2010-05-21T16:39:00.000-04:00

I fell behind adding items to my archive pages as they sold, but today I went through my pictures and updated the archives. A lot of my work is making custom pieces, so I maintain these archive pages so people like you can see the scope of what I make even if my current inventory doesn't reflect it. Feel free to send me the link to an archived piece if you're interested in having me make something like it just for you.

Anniversary gifts

2010-05-19T15:53:00.000-04:00

I've had two guys contact me lately, each approaching their 7th year of marriage, each looking for copper jewelry for an anniversary gift knowing it is their "year of copper or wool (or desk sets)." One asked for a copper nest pendant with a freshwater pearl "egg" for each of their children.

The other one designed this personalized necklace with their initials on hammered copper tags, the year they got married (in Roman numerals), a heart for love, and a rose which has a special meaning in their relationship.

Spring cleaning

2010-04-08T16:30:00.000-04:00

A while ago I posted that I was making changes to the AnneMade Jewelry website. Some of these were cosmetic with a new font and navigational links, and others were with the content like removing my classes page because right now I'm trying to focus on being a good mom. (Sorry, ladies! That was a tough decision.)

I also decided to move all my online jewelry listings to my Etsy shop. That way I can take advantage of having four or five pictures of a piece so hopefully it's more clear as far as the scale of each piece and what it looks like from different angles. I have tried to get web developers to give me that capability within one window on my site, but the bottom line is that Etsy is a good system so I'm going to let them show off my jewelry. Registration is necessary to purchase a piece, but it's quick and easy and Etsy is chock full of artisan-made items, everything from aprons to wheel-thrown mugs.

I will still update the Design Archive pages so you can see what I've been making and perhaps get ideas for a piece for me to make just for you, like this ring I just made for a gal named Jill.

My jewelry tutorials and jewelry kits are still for sale on the AnneMade Jewelry website, and I've been working on some new techniques!

Spring Flight

2010-03-09T17:19:00.001-05:00

I love robins, nests, spring, aqua, twigs, lots of things that make up this necklace. I don't usually make asymmetrical pieces, but I had this piece of chain that was too long for a bracelet and I didn't want to waste the extra, so I thought I'd do half a necklace with it. And one dead-of-winter morning I was laying in bed and I came up with all these bird-themed components, some of which are in this piece and others are in the rest of the collection. I put some blue and some green in there, glass, pearl, stone, a touch of brass, and a couple of speckle-glaized ceramic beads.

Here is the bracelet ($55, necklace is $125) and I also have a pair of speckled-egg earrings ($26). They're heading to the wonderful Simply Charming Boutique next week, so if you are interested shoot me an email.

British dog tags

2010-02-16T20:51:00.000-05:00

I get requests for custom orders all the time, but every once in a while I get an assignment that is really neat and I like to share it with you. This time it was from a fellow named Hereward (Hez) "across the pond." He wanted a christening present for his great nephew whose Dad is in the Royal Marines, so he asked me to recreate a set of British military issue ID tags (the round kind with a smaller chain for the second tag), but in sterling silver with the father's service number and name and the baby's birthdate and name. Hez sent me all the measurements right down to the diameter of the ball chain and the size of the hole in the tag through which the chain goes. I sent him a picture before I set off for the post office and he was very pleased, couldn't wait to give the guys their gifts. Isaac is a month older than Olivia, so I bet he'll be excited for a new shiny object.

Thinking spring & The Bloom

2010-01-27T14:40:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year... The holidays are over, there are pockets of warm days surrounded by blustery cold, and I'm yearning for spring. This is the time of year I start on my spring line, and especially now that I have a little one it's important to start early or it becomes summer before I know it.

I'm experimenting with "new" media like doming resin and polymer clay. Oh, I'm no stranger to polyclay, but it's come a long way since I was working with it as a teenager. While cleaning out the storage room in my parents' basement I came across my old box of Sculpey. So I experimented with some simple textured pendants and bird eggs and it's still good after 20+ years. And mixing 2-part epoxy reminds me of helping my dad with his model train layout when I was a kid. We didn't get the mixing quite right, so part of the river was sticky after curing. This time around I'm aware of tricks like using a flame to encourage air bubbles to pop, and testing the leftover epoxy in the cup (instead of getting fingerprints on my pendants) to see if it's cured.

Here are some of the components I have gathered to make into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for spring.

Along with spring in the Shenandoah Valley comes the Bloom. Everyone wears pink and green to celebrate the apple blossoms, so here is the start of my collection for Simply Charming Boutique. Fortunately in recent years the rest of the country has had a love affair with that color combination, so there is some wonderful lampwork to be had.

If you see something you like in either photo, just email me for pricing and availability.

Free tickets to Sugarloaf Crafts Festival

2010-01-18T16:10:00.000-05:00

I have the unique and fun opportunity to give away tickets to the Chantilly Sugarloaf Crafts Festival! It's January 29-31, there are 300 designers/craftsmen/artists showing their wares, and it's warm and cozy indoors at the Dulles Expo Center. Tickets are worth $8 each and I'm giving them away in pairs to the first four people who email me with their mailing address. anne@annemade-jewelry.com

Sugarloaf Craft Festival January 29-31

2010-01-14T10:51:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is walk around a craft fair. They're usually outdoors in the summer, and I love to talk to other craftsmen about what they do. Right now it's the dead of winter, but I just wanted to put the word out about Sugarloaf Craft Festivals, which are some of the best craft shows I've been to AND they're indoors so there's no mud. They have artists demonstrating their trades, activities for children, high-quality artisans selling everything from quilted items to homemade food mixes to really great jewelry. I'm particularly fond of Eugene B. Smith, a local watercolor artist who paints everything from the Shenandoah Valley to coastal regions to Japanese irises.

The weekend of January 29-31 the Sugarloaf show will be at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. Steve and I went last year and were impressed by the quality and variety of artists, and even met a relative we'd never known. (I thought, "What are the odds I'm related to a band box maker named Richardson from Suffolk, VA? So I walked right up and started comparing family trees with him.) For more info about vendors and hours, you can check out the Sugarloaf Chantilly website. And if you don't live in the DC area, check out the schedule for a show closer to you.

Christmas Rest

2009-12-10T11:12:00.006-05:00

It worked! Making an order deadline (and subsequently enforcing it) has created a distinct lack of stress this year, for the first time since I started my business in 2004. I finally get to enjoy December, hang out with my family and friends at will, and not get burnt out doing custom orders at the last minute. We figured we won't bother getting a Christmas tree until Olivia "gets" it (and wouldn't want to eat it), though.

I've been sitting on a set of Twelve Days of Christmas sterling silver charms for a few years now, every year forgetting about them until January. I hung them from a simple chain bracelet and they, along with the following set of jewelry, are at Simply Charming Boutique in downtown Winchester, VA. If you don't live locally and you must have something, just drop me an email and I can see what's left. Not pictured is another pair of earrings with the green Swarovski crystals from the necklace. (Peridot Satin for those Swarovski fans out there.)

The thing I love about these Christmas lampwork beads is the gold swirls and holly that resemble Lenox china with a subtle nod to the holiday. I'm not into cutesy reindeer or snowmen lampwork beads. The necklace is actually a bracelet with an extender that hooks into the other end. You can wear it as either, depending on your outfit or taste.

Have a Merry Christmas!

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Heading into the holiday season

2009-11-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I actually take great pleasure in finding that perfect something for each of my loved ones. But, I've learned to do my shopping early because I inevitably get swamped with orders at this time of year.

On my Personalized Pieces page I've added a deadline...

...and a surcharge for orders finalized December 2-7. So if you're thinking about ordering personalized jewelry, please let me know soon!

Stamped Bird and Branch

2009-11-11T09:22:00.001-05:00

Fresh snow blankets the ground. A sparrow perches nearby on a crab apple branch, waiting for the blue jay to leave so she can have a turn at the feeder.

I love twigs. I love berries. I love birds. Is it any surprise that my newest option in stamped jewelry is a combination of those things?

These bird & branch tags can be personalized with your children's names along the edge, and I can apply the design to most of the shapes and materials listed on this page.

Wedding Invitation Pendant

2009-11-03T15:38:00.002-05:00

When I get a really cool custom order, I like to share the story. I was asked by a wedding guest to take the scrollwork from the invitation and make it into a pendant with the bride and groom's monogram and a bead drop to match the wedding color.

Some of the scrollwork ran off the page, so I had to do a little Photoshopping before I had an image I liked. Originally the customer wanted me to stamp block letters into the pendant for the monogram, but because I'm working in Photoshop I can use whatever font I want. Customer liked the chiseled monogram.

From that image I created a custom texture sheet to use with silver clay (PMC) to create the pendant. How? Special polymer, transparency film, UV light, and a toothbrush. Got that? Sounds like MacGyver? Perhaps a tutorial is in order.

I love coming up with the logistics to create a piece, but I have to give credit to my customer for coming up with such a beautiful and meaningful idea.

On my bench

2009-10-28T14:54:00.003-04:00

Okay, it's been a month since my last ~~confession~~ post and I'm the first to admit I am a delinquent jewelry blogger. I have so much going on I don't even post to my family blog all that much. When all else fails, throw some pictures up there and tell a story or two, right?

Here's a piece that graced my pliers yesterday. A crazy-beautiful Tom Boylan focal, purchased from him in his California studio. Right now it is sitting on my bench, wired to amethyst and pearl links, 11 inches in total. Well that's not long enough for a necklace, is it? No. I intend to fasten the ends to lengths of chain, but before I can do that I need to make more of my signature spiral hook clasps so that I can get an accurate length before I cut the chain. I have the wire & pliers I use to make the clasps all in a bag waiting for the next football game or car ride so I can sit down and make a bunch at once while I'm a captive audience. The thing is, that hasn't happened much lately so this project sits, unfinished, until the stars align.

Meanwhile I have been hoarding some Patti Cahill lampwork I purchased a year ago, and finally broke up the set rather than put all the gorgeous eggs into one basket-necklace. First of all, putting all the special beads into one piece makes it pretty expensive (Patti is one person who has great talent and charges what it is worth). Secondly, when I break it up it makes for a nice grouping at the shop downtown.

This fall I am in love with peacock blue, plum purple, and olive green.... TOGETHER!!! And it's everywhere, so I figure I'm not the only one who does, so I made a necklace with different shapes of Swarovski crystals in those colors.

Speaking of following fashion trends, I can't tell you how many times I have been advised by well-meaning friends to scour fashion magazines to see what "the latest" is and make jewelry like I see in there. If you've met me you'll know that I don't necessarily wear what is in style, I wear what I like. I tend to make jewelry the same way, not chasing trends and being left with dozens of ear threads when the fad fades, and so far that has worked out for me. If I like what's in, so be it, but I'm not going to make something just because it's in.

Up next for this lazy jewelry blogger? Jewelry tweeting, since I think a lot of my followers found me because of jewelry. Follow me @annemade or over on my blog sidebar.

Disc Sale

2009-09-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

For those of you looking for discs to use in your Spinning Wheels, check out Serena's Beadery. The color pictured here is called Dirty Copper Green, and the pendant in my tutorial features a Silver Dark Plum disc.

Serena is offering 10% off discs right now. I just noticed there are now some with dots around the edges - fun!

New Tutorial

2009-09-09T21:46:00.005-04:00

Steve and I just visited the Outer Banks, and for a couple days it poured down rain. So I was on the sofa with my laptop, doing a little web surfing and, more notably, writing the Spinning Wheel Pendant Tutorial.

Riveting is fun, especially tube-riveting (because I find it easier than wire-riveting). It may seem like a long list of tools and supplies, but many of them are basic jeweler's tools or items you can find at a hardware store, and you can buy the kit ($20 including the tutorial) if you want to skip the drill, saw, and file steps. It's a great way to dress up a basic stamped name necklace for a new level of cool Mom Jewelry.

I have other *riveting* tutorial projects up my sleeve, including one with PMC and another that covers wire rivets, so stay tuned!

New pieces

2009-08-14T23:01:00.007-04:00

Wow, the summer is flying by! I've been a busy bee, so that probably has something to do with it.

If you're looking for new AnneMade jewelry, I hope you live nearby because Simply Charming Boutique has all my newest pieces for fall. And I know this is a good thing, but they have been selling before I can get pictures! Here's a few I did capture...

Several of these pendants are simple designs made from PMC and accented with faceted stones, pearls, and Swarovski crystals. If you see something you like and you're in Timbuktu and not the DC area, shoot me an email and I can check on the piece.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Quick trip

2009-06-30T22:31:00.004-04:00

Steve and I took a quick trip to Delaware this week. I got to visit with Connie at Sparkles Bead Shop a little this morning, which was so precious. Olivia's sweet little face was even posted on the bulletin board!

I really do miss teaching classes at the shop, and I miss the students and hearing what's new in their lives and seeing what they make with the techniques they learned in class. Not to mention it got me out of the house.

I work from home and when Steve travels for work I get really starved for conversation. Fortunately my friend Lauren has been helping me out lately, which in turn makes me a lot more productive. (The Laptop Lid Closing plan didn't stick.) If Lauren is at the computer listing items on Etsy, then I'm relegated to the workbench to work on my fall collection.

Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you'd like to see, jewelry or tutorials. I appreciate the human contact!

Beaded Branches

2009-06-22T15:43:00.005-04:00

I have been offering a tutorial on how to make a Beaded Branches Pin. It included brief bonus instructions on how to transfer those skills to make a necklace. Now I have posted the full Beaded Branches Necklace tutorial complete with step-by-step instructions and lots of pictures. This is a great technique for weddings, whether you're just going as a guest or you're making "something new" for the bride to wear on her big day.

Eclectic Mix

2009-06-17T13:53:00.003-04:00

Today my lime green sea glass pendant is featured in a treasury. Bottom row, center:

I am slowly adding some new pieces to my Etsy shop, including some bead strands. I also listed my PMC lentil necklace on my website in case you have been secretly wanting that!

Tangles and knots

2009-06-15T19:36:00.002-04:00

My silver tangle necklace is featured in a treasury on Etsy today! Third down on the left.

New products, lower prices!

2009-05-31T15:04:00.002-04:00

As previously mentioned, I've had a Puffy Heart Addendum in the works, as well as one for the Princess Pillow tutorial, which show you how to make gradient patterns for these pendants.

They are newly listed with my other jewelry tutorials and kits, many of whom have LOWER PRICES! I just switched download servers which saves me money and I'm passing the savings on to my customers. This also uses one shopping cart for both tangible and downloadable goods, so you no longer have to check out twice if you want to order say, the Viking Weave tutorial and the tools that go with it.

AND until I have a chance to do the coding to apply the usual $3 shipping charge to tangibles and not to downloads, I'm offering free shipping on all items on the AnneMade Jewelry website. Go nuts!

Striving for Quality

2009-05-21T10:10:00.002-04:00

In January Steve and I went to the Sugarloaf Craft Festival in Chantilly. I wasn't scouting it out as much as I was looking for something for us to do with a newborn baby. But being surrounded by so many craftsmen wound up being pretty inspiring (not that I had time to make jewelry back in January, but I thought about it a lot). I even bought earrings and a bracelet from an artist I've known about for a while. (Thanks, Rosanne!)

So why would I do that? Can't I make jewelry myself? Sure, well, given the time and inclination I could probably make something similar, but one of the things I like to do is surround myself with quality pieces so hopefully I will reflect that in my own work. Strong construction, easy closure, substantial weight, etc. My friend who decorates houses made the suggestion to "study quality" years ago; when you're accustomed to good-quality furnishings it's easier to spot the chintzy stuff. Of course sometimes I struggle because the bargain hunter in me sees a deal, but at least I can tell the difference.

Dodecahedron Tutorial

2009-05-20T16:16:00.006-04:00

Got a new one for ya! A dodecahedron is a 12-sided polygon, and this beaded bead is created by crossweaving monofilament (read: uses fishing line instead of a needle), much like the Puffy Heart and Princess Pillow. Click here for the tutorial listing, click here for the earrings.

Rainbow heart

2009-05-14T13:27:00.006-04:00

The baby is napping well and Mother's Day is out of the way, so I'm trying to get to some things I've had on the back burner like writing new tutorials. Here's a sneak peek at a new twist that a customer asked me to figure out -- a rainbow Puffy Heart. I'm also working on a color-gradient addendum for this and the Princess Pillow tutorials.

New

2009-04-27T15:21:00.007-04:00

It's spring, which means the trees are blooming and our little town grows like tenfold during the Apple Blossom Festival (aka The Bloom). As my husband puts it, it's an interesting mix of rednecks and rich people, and everyone wears pink and green. I made a "Bloom" Line to sell at the shop downtown, hoping to list the remnants on Etsy, but it doesn't look like there will be much left. I figured you guys might be starved for new pictures to look at while you're ~~procrastinating at work~~ on lunch break, so I'll post some anyway...

2009-04-26T14:49:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is right around the corner, so I've been a busy bee making stamped pendants for gift-giving. Oh, and that little full-time job of being a mom. But, I've also started getting orders for graduation gifts.

This set is for a French IV class, the first group of kids this young teacher has had through the whole set of French classes. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day the teacher had the students write in their journals about their thoughts as they face graduation and life beyond. The title of the journal entry was to be Mon rêve, which means 'my dream', so the teacher had me stamp sterling tags with this phrase -- pendants for the girls and keychains for the guys. Hopefully the students will remember both their dreams and their beloved teacher.

New font for stamped jewelry

2009-02-27T16:15:00.006-05:00

I'm slowly emerging from the fog of new-parenthood to tackle the pile of orders on my desk and tell you about my new set of lowercase alphabet stamps in a fun, whimsical typeface called Kismet.

I also added a new tag shape (this copper washer) and a keychain option under chains.

Mother's Day will be here before you know it, and a creative gift idea for moms (or grandmothers) is personalized jewelry bearing the kids' names.

You can read about the options for my stamped jewelry here and other personalized jewelry here.

I wish you all a happy weekend full of spring-like weather like we're having here in Virginia. No offense to February, but good riddance to winter!

2009-01-01T00:45:00.001-05:00

More details on my baby blog!

Tutorials update

2008-12-28T09:49:00.003-05:00

I always get a kick out of trying a new technique, and this one lends itself well to a kit so I am *hoping* to be able to offer it in early 2009. I call it the Sparkle Link Bracelet, and the sparkles come from both Swarovski crystal rings and twisted sterling silver rings that catch the light beautifully. (If only we had a sunny day to make it really sparkle on camera!) This bracelet was completed with Tabac-colored Swarovski rings, and I also have a Light Volcano set with springy pastels waiting on my bench.

In other news, I've closed my Etsy shop temporarily to give myself a break for baby-wrangling. In the meantime I activated the download links for all of my tutorials on my main website's Kits & Tutorials Page. (Normally I'm not allowed to cross-list items on Etsy that I sell elsewhere, but with my Etsy store closed the tutorials are currently available in only one location.)

This is December for a jewelry designer

2008-12-22T13:00:00.007-05:00

I have come to the realization that I'm somewhat of a work slut. I said I was going to stop taking orders for Christmas at the beginning of December, but who am I to deny people the perfect gift of personalized jewelry? I have become that woman who works right up until her due date, the one I always scoffed at, thinking that being nine months pregnant would surely render one incapacitated. On Friday I was a busy bee and got the last of my Christmas orders shipped, and then I indulged in a rare nap. I didn't work a whole lot over the weekend, but this morning I was right back at my bench to complete this copper grandmother's bracelet before I have my annual burnout on jewelry making and shift my focus to our baby. I do have one more order that is due in January, but at lunchtime I made myself take a break and turn on the TV in the middle of the day. And it just happened to be the end of an Obligatory Movie, so Steve watched the rest of it with me as his own little celebration.

Speaking of Steve, can I just say how proud I am of him? As National Sales Manager for his company, he was presented with what I thought was a ridiculously challenging 2008 sales goal last December, lofty even before losing part of his team during the year. Well, today he and his team actually reached that unrealistic goal and I am so proud to see Steve's dedication pay off.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Love logo

2008-12-15T10:58:00.008-05:00

I'm still here, working hard in my workshop to finalize Christmas orders without the help of elves and with the baby's due date looming on the horizon. But sometimes I get such creative requests for custom orders that I just have to tell you about them.

A gentleman in Oslo found me on the internet and inquired about having custom jewelry made from a heart design he has created using his girlfriend's initials (VB). After reviewing the options he commissioned me to make two different pendants out of his love logo.

I made the first pendant from PMC using a custom texture sheet. Having a tile shape for a background and a rustic finish, it is kind of a casual look so we decided to put it on a chocolate brown leather cord.

For the next pendant I cut three pieces of sterling silver wire, beveled and filed the ends, and soldered them together. Then I hung it slider-style on a box chain for a more delicate look.

These pieces are on their way to Norway and hopefully VB doesn't read my blog before Christmas.

I think my client should pitch the logo to the Beckhams now.

Christmas Cookies

2008-12-02T21:40:00.012-05:00

I have a cookie exchange on Sunday, and every year (no matter where we live) I make a variation on the recipe below. They have a chocolate batter and usually I add some combination of Craisins, white chocolate chips/chunks, and macadamia nuts. This year, after having the peppermint bark from Costco, I got a hankerin' to make the cookies with crushed peppermint candy and even bought a box of candy canes in anticipation. Then my friend Lauren clued me in that Andes now sells pre-crushed peppermint candy, which will definitely be part of my Lazy Baker book if I ever write one, and Steve will make sure that the candy canes don't go to waste. Anyway, the recipe is from Betty Crocker's Cookie Book (one of my favorite wedding gifts) and fortunately I just googled the title and was able to copy/paste as I am not the only one on The Internets who loves this recipe. [I did add comments in italics.]

Outrageous Double Chocolate-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Yield: about 2 dozen [large] cookies

1 (24-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups)
1 cup butter or stick margarine, softened [I use unsalted butter]
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) package white baking chocolate, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch chunks [or a package of white chocolate chips or pre-made chunks]
1 cup pecans or walnut halves*

Heat oven to 350°. Heat 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Cool to room temperature, but do not allow chocolate to become firm. [I microwave these in 30-second increments until just melted. I don't usually have time to let that cool to room temperature, and the one time I did I seem to remember the dough getting too stiff anyway.]

Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and melted chocolate until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips, the white baking bar chunks and pecan halves.
*Instead of pecans or walnuts, you can substitute a cup of macadamia nuts, dried cherries, dried cranberries, or crushed peppermint candy.

Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls or #16 cookie/ice-cream scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. [I have stacked two 1" balls with good results, or made 1" balls and baked 2-3 minutes less.] Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set (centers will appear soft and moist). Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

------------------

Update after the exchange: I didn't end up getting the Andes peppermint crumbles because the grocery store sold out of them long ago. The crushed candy canes worked well, although next time I'll unwrap them first and put them in one bag to hammer all together. Oh, and one more thing: Have you seen all the flavors of Hershey's kisses available now? I particularly like the peppermint striped ones, so if you're going to make these cookies you could just chop those up and have your white chocolate and peppermint all in one.

Drawplate + Mandrel

2008-11-30T17:07:00.007-05:00

If you want to try Viking Weave (Viking Knit) and have trouble finding the specialty tools, I have just listed them on my Kits Page. They have always been included in the kit, but now you can buy just the wooden tools if you have the tutorial and want to gather the sterling silver parts (wire, cones, & clasp) on your own.

A behind-the-scenes little tidbit... In an effort to outsource some of the hats I wear with AnneMade Jewelry, the mandrels and drawplates are now being crafted by my sawdust-lovin' brother, Tom. He's ~~anal~~ an engineering type, which means the holes are plentiful, spaced precisely, and drilled with a countersink bit which acts like a funnel when you pull the weave through each hole. In his defense I asked him to stop short of finishing these like cabinetry since they are utilitarian and not meant for display. I think it was a little painful for him to *just* sand them because he even beveled the edges. Thanks, bro!

Christmas Card Game

2008-11-25T14:53:00.004-05:00

A lot of people take time during the Thanksgiving break to send out their Christmas cards, so I thought it would be fun to make a game out of it. Even more fun than seeing your cousin's kids a year older in their matching LL Bean sweaters.

Card is from your insurance company, investment firm, or hairdresser (1 point)
Card/newsletter has digital/copied signature with no handwritten note (-2 points)
Card is from a friend you haven't heard from in years (5 points)
Card was addressed to your previous residence and forwarded by the USPS (-1 point)
Card was postmarked before December 1, indicating overachievers. (-2 points)
Envelope is lined with gold or silver foil paper (2 points)
Card is the same one you received from this sender last year (-1 point)
Newsletter is included (2 points)
Newsletter contains only tales of exciting vacations and child geniuses (-3 points)
Family photos are included (2 points for each)
All members of the family appear to have signed their own names (2 points)
Handwritten note is included (2 points) and is longer than one sentence (5 points)
All family members are dressed in wrinkle-free clothing, looking at the camera, and smiling (indicating perfect family or help from Photoshop) (-2 points)
Family members are wearing matching sweaters or coordinating clothing such as white shirts & khakis (-2 points)
Family pet is wearing a costume or accessories such as antlers or Santa hat (-2 points)

Christmas Cheer

2008-11-24T13:52:00.008-05:00

I love what I do, but one downside is that I'm so busy at Christmastime. I don't decorate the house very much (because it means un-decorating later), we haven't had a Christmas tree of our own for years, and sometimes I get so burnt out with Christmas orders that I don't feel like making jewelry again for a month or two.

This year I want things to be different. Rather than complaining about how early the stores have their decorations up, I'm just enjoying Christmas early (while I can). I've shamelessly got XM's Holly channel on today, before Thanksgiving! With the baby coming soon I'm trying to shop for gifts and get orders turned around as soon as I can. We're enjoying our last little bit of kidless freedom. And the bottom line is that I'm excited about Christmas again!

First Snow

2008-11-19T10:17:00.004-05:00

We got the first flakes of the season yesterday (actually Monday night, but whatever). It was about 1/4" deep in our yard and resulted in an hour delay for the county school system. I understand that it's a big county and there are areas of higher elevation that probably got more than we did, but it still cracks me up that they are so careful around here. Snow chickens!

I'm still here

2008-11-18T16:21:00.003-05:00

It's a busy time of year for making jewelry, so unfortunately my blogging gets pushed to the back burner while I get kits in the mail and complete custom orders. Oh yeah, and prepare for a baby.

To follow up on a previous post, I did finish that embellished Viking Knit bracelet.

The Lazy - Makeup Edition

2008-11-10T07:57:00.002-05:00

I'm not a big makeup person. I wear it because I know I look better with it on, but a lot of the time I just can't be bothered to take the time to apply it AND maintain it. Plus it can easily be overdone, especially mascara. I like the look of mascara as long as it's not applied tarantula-style. But, I cry a lot, rub my eyes, and don't wash my face before I go to bed, so I usually avoid wearing any. I actually asked around about having my eyelashes dyed, because all I want is the tips to be brown instead of blonde. (Tinting can be done, but I couldn't find anyone who would actually do it for me. Incidentally, one can also have her makeup tatooed on, which I think would be the ultimate fix for lazy makeup wearers.)

I bought some natural-looking mascara from Clinique after reading an article in Real Simple. It looked pretty until I wore it on a particularly weepy day and realized it wasn't waterproof. So I took it back and the Clinique lady suggested I try their Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing kind because it stays in place even in the pool and comes off with hot water. No makeup remover needed (although the same RS article said Almay is the best, for the record). Of course I was all like, "Sure, sure. I'll try it." Ladies, this stuff works. It's a 24-hour formula, so I can even wait until my morning shower to let it wash off on its own. Lazy wins!

New Tutorial

2008-11-05T07:59:00.001-05:00

I love birds, twigs, nests, all that stuff and I'm happy to share how to make your own out of wire and freshwater pearls.

Click here for the listing...

Vote!

2008-11-04T06:32:00.000-05:00

So much for the Political Do Not Call registry, huh? I get about 10 robocalls a day, so if for no other reason than the end of the campaigns I am glad to see the arrival of Election Day. Don't forget to get out and vote!

Weekend in the District

2008-11-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

Steve has been traveling a lot and doing awesome at work, so I thought it would be fun to reward him with a weekend away. We stayed at The Willard, a beautiful old hotel adjacent to the White House, replete with woodwork, marble, and mosaic tile.

Saturday was warm and beautiful, more like September than November. We got settled into our room and then Metro'd to Capitol Hill to browse through Eastern Market. There are tented vendors outside selling handcrafts, produce, and antiques, and inside there are food vendors. It reminded me a lot of Reading Market and Saluhallen. Next we Metro'd back to the Mall where there were probably ten different games of football and frisbee going on. We went to the National Gallery of Art to see some favorites by Seurat, Monet, and Gilbert Stuart. Dinner was one of the most awesome burgers ever (with sweet potato fries) at Capitol City Brewing Company, plus I have a new affinity for brewery-made root beer. I'm not really a bath person because I get bored, but my body was screaming so after dinner I soaked in the tub, wrapped myself in a luxurious robe, and watched the exciting Texas vs. Texas Tech game.

On Sunday we passed on brunch at the Willard, opting for Kramerbooks in DuPont Circle. Blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, fruit compote, home fries, scrambled eggs, coffee, and juice. I passed on the mimosa this time, but otherwise Yum! It felt like a real fall day, sunny but cool. Unfortunately I was in so much pain when we went next door to Beadazzled that I didn't even want to look at beads, people. Fortunately the Metro ride to the American Art Museum helped me feel a little better, so we got to see some pieces by Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keefe. The last little DC treat was to see a helicopter land on the South Lawn of the White House while we waited for the valet to bring the car around. Then we headed home on a ribbon of highway flanked by yellow, orange, and red trees. It was a great weekend and I am so happy to have Steve home for a while.

Pumpkin Spice

2008-10-30T09:26:00.007-04:00

One of the reasons I love fall so much is it inflicts The Cozy (cozy 1 a: enjoying or affording warmth and ease : snug). Sweater season, mug season, call it what you want. Steve and I mark the advent of fall by plugging in the Instant Hot faucet and lighting the fireplace pilot for the season.

I've blogged before about my love for all things Pumpkin Spice, which two years later are still everywhere with more new products being added each year. Case in point, Pumpkin Eggnog. (I'm sure it helps living 2 miles from an HP Hood plant, but look for it and other Hood nog flavors like Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie!)

This product gets extra points for actually containing pumpkin and not just the spices, much like Cold Stone Creamery's ice cream pie. I even took a picture, in the first light of morning, to share with you the Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe that doesn't even call for additional pumpkin.

The Nog tastes like licking the bowl after preparing pumpkin pie, and it also makes a heck of a coffee creamer. We just got the first seasonals shipment from Gevalia with 4 boxes of Pumpkin Spice coffee, after which Steve confessed that it's a flavor he doesn't really like, so I'll be slowly working on those all winter. Anyone want to come over for coffee?

(P.S. Steve: Cheryl said to thank you for not liking it. More for her.)

Chocolate Mug Cake

2008-10-27T20:16:00.004-04:00

I saw a recipe for 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake on Kate's blog that sounded awesome, so tonight I tried it and I was not disappointed. Make sure you read the comments about beating the egg and gently mixing - it makes a difference.

Those of you who know me know I have (ahem) a bit of a sweet tooth, so it takes a lot to reach my limit. I am currently chocolate drunk and NOT sorry, although ask me again when I'm lying in bed wide awake at 3am. And get this - I don't usually like chocolate cake. I did have a glass of milk and frosted it with the remnants of a previous project which made the mug cake that much better, so now I feel compelled to share The Frosting recipe. It was actually part of a chocolate cake recipe from BHG, the results of testing recipes for the "moistest, richest, chocolatiest cake" but didn't do it for me. They obviously didn't try Chocolate Mug Cake.

But they were so right about The Frosting recipe. If I had to choose one food to have while stranded on a desert island, the food of which I would ne'er grow weary, it would be Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting even if I had to make it myself. I even scanned my yellowing, greasy, pieced-together magazine clipping just for the delicious photo.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
12 oz (2 c) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c butter
8 oz sour cream
4 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar (that means sift, then measure)

In a large saucepan melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Makes 4 1/2 cups of frosting, enough to generously frost a multilayer cake. (It may look runny for a few minutes after you finish, so just keep beating it until it cools a little and stiffens up.)

Catching up

2008-10-26T20:48:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I'm a little behind on the blogging. And the housework. And my Inbox. Steve's been traveling a lot (although it's not his fault), and I seem to be happier and get a lot more things accomplished when he's home. And I seem to have a pretty bad case of Babies on the Brain, so I tend to have more to talk about over on my other blog.

In the jewelry department, I am working on a Bird Nest tutorial (pictured), cleaning off my workbench a little, ordering silver, embellishing some Viking Knit... Of course I like to actually finish something before telling you guys, but I thought I'd throw you a bone to let you know what's in the pipeline. I went to an awesome bead show in Vienna, VA a few weeks ago and saw some of my favorite lampworkers, including Patti Cahill from Dyed in the Fire. Talk about little works of art! And yes, you heard me right. The market price of silver has been over $21/troy ounce this year and now it is around $9, so I will be adjusting kit prices accordingly.

Website update: When I said the site now has a "fresher, high-key" look, I didn't realize that everybody except for me was seeing just a boring plain white screen aside from the text and pictures. It's supposed to look like this, with a sage floral print in the background. I posted on a webmaster forum and got a quick response, so the problem should be fixed now. (You may need to hit Refresh to see.)

Perhaps the next installment in my book collection should be The Lazy Housekeeper: Easily-cleaned surfaces, those that hide dirt, etc. I personally believe that dust is a protective covering, so my coffee table is actually "flocked". If you're in the market for a dog, choose one with short hair that doesn't tumbleweed, thereby keeping your wood floors cleaner. Having a screened porch with brown indoor-outdoor carpeting has really cut down on the paw-wiping necessity, too. Now if I could only find a way to harness the energy in the wagging tail and apply that to the noseprints on the windows.

New Look

2008-10-13T22:41:00.010-04:00

I've been workin' on my website
All the live-long day...

In case you're new here, this here blog is not my main website. Clicking on the image above will take you there.

So what's new? The color scheme is the same olive/khaki/cranberry, but now it has a fresher, high-key look. I customized the left-hand navigational menus on each page to (hopefully) make it easier to digest pages that have a lot of information. If you find bugs, please let me know (anne@annemade-jewelry.com).

Bum hurts, going to bed... (I really did sit in front of my computer all day)

The Lazy

2008-10-08T10:18:00.005-04:00

Another book in my series will be The Lazy Gardener. Because the target audience is people who are too busy/lazy/easily distracted to do things the traditional way, this book will focus on plants that have maximum benefit (like perennials with showy blooms or foliage) with a minimum of pruning, watering, and fuss. You have a spot for a plant, you buy it at your local garden center, dig a hole, plant it, water it a couple times, and enjoy it forever with no additional work. Okay, maybe you could divide it in a few years to share the love, but not because it is too big for the space.

Our hydrangea is like this. Unless we have a drought I don't have to do anything to that thing, and all summer long it produces beautiful blue balls of blooms and then heads of russet and green (shown here) in the fall. And it conveyed with the house so we didn't even have to plant it.

More Fall Baking

2008-10-06T18:55:00.002-04:00

Lauren and I went to Marker-Miller Orchards yesterday for apples. The weather was gorgeous and we had nothing else to do the rest of the day. Honeycrisps are picked out for the season, so we picked Nittany (go Big Blue) and Crispin. Then we went back to my house to make apple dumplings the traditional way. We used the "Never Fail Pie Crust" recipe that the marching band used to make when we did our huge pie & dumpling fund raiser (this one is similar), and the dumpling recipe was pretty standard. I love how my apple peeler also spiral slices the fruit because it makes the dumplings easier to eat. Steve came home from watching football with the guys just in time to help out with quality assurance.

September Madness, Financial Edition

2008-10-02T16:55:00.003-04:00

I know enough about what's going on with the nation's stock market and economy to know that I don't want to know any more, and to be thankful that we are not retired. Instead of constantly complaining or worrying (gas prices, the looming bailout plan, whatever) I prefer it when people either do something about it or shut up already. I have a short fuse for Chicken Littles, but I am charmed by those who see imminent doom and choose to turn it into humor.

(Click to enlarge.)

Original post (Thanks, Mel!)

Painting

2008-09-25T16:15:00.013-04:00

I grew up in a house with mainly white walls, including my bedroom, even though my brother was allowed to paint his. My parents threw me a bone and let me put up a wallpaper border, and finally I left for college (which had white dorm walls). For the first few years Steve and I were married we weren't allowed to paint the walls in our rental. So I'm kind of against white walls (including off-white) because of 25 years of color oppression, and when I say color it's not like I would have painted my walls lime green and eggplant (although I do like that combo). When we bought our first house the first thing I did (even before moving in) was to paint the entire first floor because the walls were white.

Side note: I think people keep things white because it's easy and goes with everything. If you've watched even one episode of any home-staging or flipping show you will learn that non-white pale neutral paint can do wonders to make a space look more appealing without over-personalizing it.

We've been in this house for a year and a half and downstairs is an earthy mix of browns and olive (except for the powder room). But upstairs is still almost all white and I realize that I'm never going to paint it myself at this rate. The foyer is particularly challenging because certain walls are two stories high and we have neither the ladder nor the inclination to be up that high to cut in.

This week I hired a guy from our church (Sean Kenny - website here) to do the work. For the foyer I liked a particular maize color (warm, rustic yellow) in a Pottery Barn pamphlet. I was shooting for a warm, gold color to coordinate with the adjacent olive and brown, but I also didn't want it to be too dark so I went with a paler shade of the maize so it would be more like parchment. I had the swatches up for days to view in different lights, asking anyone who came to the house to give their opinion.

But when Sean started cutting in it looked absolutely sunny, like it should have been paired with French blue in a country kitchen. The reality hit me that pale maize = buttery yellow and was definitely not the earthy, subtle look I was going for. I tried to live with it for about 10 minutes, but even with all the lights turned off it was absolutely glowing with cheer.

Now I am "that customer": picky, can't make up her mind, doesn't know what she wants, clock ticking. So together we picked out a new color (khaki, very safe) and over lunch Sean took the paint back and had it tinted some more. Bless his heart, and the little paint-tintin' hearts at Sherwin Williams. I love the new color.