Always make a test first!

On many labels, there is a mention to test on a small area before using the product.  Well, it also apply to crafting.  I wanted to dissinfect a pair of earring in rubbing alcool.  It ended up like this:

 
It have lost it's sheen and opalescence.  It gives me the impression of being turned into a set of ghost earring.  I take it as an sad lost.  I didn't gave much of a thought when doing the deed.  Rubbing alcool seems safe enough to dip those earring.  Now, I have a pair of ruined earring.

Lesson learned.  Now, I will be a bit more careful in the maintenace of my earrings and jewelry in general.  Better be safe than sorry.

Filigree earring

I have found those filigree conmponent in the steampunk section in a craft store:

It ended looking like this:

Okay, I still have to work on the quality of my video.  Too much light.  Being an artist is not always easy.  I have to work and tweak on my photographic skills.  The jumprings are not easy to see for the earrings on the right and on top.  I had to use them because there wasn't any holes to put a jumpring trought it with the hook.  I had to improvise, not minding the experimentation.

Again, I still in the simple made earring style.  Maybe it is my trademark work.  Not sure if it will still stick to me forever.  In the meanwhile, quick projects seems to dominate what I can do in a busy schedule.

Sorry, there is an error. Someone skip a beat.

There one pair of earring I didn't show up in the last post.  It is because there wasn't any hole in one of the round filigree earring.  I decided to improvise and I think it is not a success.  Here what it look like:

So, not really a pair and they will give an uneaven look.  It is a fail in my book.  I don't see it as looking good.  I tried, I experimented but I should had thought a bit more about it.  I was too much in the «okay, I put the metal thread here and after that there, it should be stable and straight so I also have to go there and do it and end up with wirewrapping.  Now, the jumpring and the hook.»  It end up with the result on the photo.

From the experience I end up with this 2 conclusions: be careful in buying components and look up for irregularities, missing holes or any other failure in the design.  Secondly, think a bit more in problem solving.  I was too quick to apply to the solution I thought.

The trees, again

It is still on the ugly trees saga, again.  It seems to be stuck in my system.  Some leaves have been cut, again this summer.  I don't know if it will shorten the trees lives because they don't have their tops.  Their trunks are severely mishapen.  They look sick and not well at all.

Of course, the removed leaves gives more access to the sidewalk.  Is it healthy to the trees?  Would be nice if trees could have vaccine, it could help some who have disease.  For those trees, I don't know how long they will live with those conditions.  They seems resilinent for the time being.  I wonder how long they will stay there.  For sure, they have maturity and gives good shade.  Are they at their top shape?   Seeing their trunk, I am not sure of it.

I don't know who makes decisions toward trees.  I just hope those trunks are still strong.  They are not that attractive but I just have one hope.  I hope they will be cut when it will be the time to do so.

Prayer beads

Sometimes, seeing beads gives some crazy unexpected ideas.  Recently, while shopping, I have found big frosty beads.  As soon as I saw them, I thought: «They would be great as prayer beads or in a rosary».  I wasn,t affraid of their big shape.  Usually, I am not attracted by big beads.  I bought them anyway.  I put them on a macrame cord with some knots between them.  It gives this result:

I must admit that my knotting is in need of practice.  I didn't space the knot as tight to the beads as I would had liked to.  Otherwhise, I think I don't think to add some knot's caps.  If I could fine some in silver, maybe I would be tempted to add them to hide the knots.  Maybe it will also hide the impefection in the uneven knot spacing.  It still to be seens.  I also wonder if I could have chosen another colouir for the macrame cord.  Would have been wise to go for a bold statements and contrast with the milky beads?  Still unsure of the answer.  I think I am still unsure when it comes to colours.  It is another weak part that I need to work on.

I had many beads and I wanted to use them all.  So, it is why I din't do any macrame knots on this project.  I didn't wanted to add lenght to the project.  It is always fun when I know what I want to do or not with a project.  It always ease thing out.  The process is also easier and quicker.  No uncertainty.  No contemplating two options without unclear decision to make.

Charmed earrings

As seens above, I had done it again: earring done with charms.  Of course, they are another kind of charms.  What I think is that the above earrings add some variety into what I had done with that kind of componets.  I think this case is the colours that add to the charms of those earrings.  I think I should go more toward colours.  I tend to stay along the same palette.

I would had go all along with golden hooks and golden jumprings.  The problem that I had encountered is that the golden hooks that I have aren't shaped as I would had like to.  For the golden jumprings, I didn't have any.

It means that I will have to go shop for hooks and jumprings in the golden material.  I am always happy to go shop for material.  I am just not a fan of using golden components  when it comes to making jewelry.  I am more fascinated with silver.

Earrings with charms

I had made a lot of earrings lately.  Most of them with charms.  I like to do the unexpected.  Charms are more expected on bracelets.  I guess that with the right charms, earring can be good looking

Pendants can also have a good looks as earrings.  The only thing to consider is their weights.  They most be light weight.

I don't want to enter into shock value but it feel good to see that getting outside the box can have nice looking results.  This is one reason that I have to try some experiments.  While shopping, I can see some components that I know how to turn into a finished project.  It was the case with the pairs of earrings above, on the photo.  As soon as I saw them, I knew I would turn them into the seen results: earrings.  They are not elaborate. I just added jumprings and hooks.  It is quickly done but it is an instant gratification.  It also show that a last minute projects can be elegant.  It can give an helping hand for an needed piece of jewelry that could match a piece of clothing.

I would like to do more elaborate pieces of jewelry.  I would like to do some metal working.  I don't have all the material to do so.  So, in the mean time, I do easy and simple jewelry. It add restriction in what I can do.  If I can makes people talk about my creations, it is a start.  The rest will come when I will be able to get the equipment.