Back in October, I wrote a review of The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques. Well, I now have 2 copies to GIVE AWAY!!!
I think that readers of this blog will really enjoy this book. As I wrote in my review, it’s not really a beginner’s how to book, but more of an overview of what is possible. This is a guide for an experimental jeweler who wants to create one-of-a-kind pieces using modern techniques and materials. You should plan to use this book to inspire your search for the next great thing you want to try.So here’s my question for you: what’s the new (to you) material that you’ve got a hankering to try in the new year? Leave me a comment below, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing, which will take place next Wednesday evening. Please make sure your email is correct…it will not show up online, just in the info that I receive so that I can contact you.Note: I’ve also got giveaways for different books starting today, Dec 9, 2009 on Beading Arts and on Mixed Media Artist. Feel free to sign up for those too!
As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received these books free of charge from Interweave Press in order to be able to offer them free to you. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.
I have been dying to try metal clay.
I have seen it around quite a bit but next year I will definitely have to have a go.
I am so eager to try metal clay it’s not even funny. Silver clay? Yes! Bronze clay? Sure! Copper clay? Woohoo!
We are looking for a new house and one of the requirements is a separate room for my studio. Right now I use half the front room. Anyways, I am fascinated by lampwork beads and I plan on taking some classes to get started. The only thing that had been holding me back was lack of a dedicated space where I could lock out my furkids.
Even though is seems rather complicated, I would like to get into using copper in my jewelry this year. I love the tarnished look it brings to pieces.
writeme@heidimail.com
Wow! Quite interesting to read the comments posted – definitely lots of shared interests. I’ve been very fortunate in the different materials I’ve been able to experiment with in the 10 years I’ve been making jewelry. Beads have been my first & main interest – making jewelry with them & lampworking the last 3 yrs – LOVE that activity! I’m interested in trying some of the faux bone material. It seems to be pretty versatile & it fits with the mixed media pieces that I have gradually realized that I’m making! I have also bought some resin & am pondering what & how I’d like to try with that first. When I started attemmpting to make jewelry,I wasn’t even sure what a jump ring was. Over the years, books & trial & error have taught me much! Having the right book to study gives me the confidence to go for it – to learn & become proficient at skills that I’d only hoped for before. Sorry for going on & on but these are two of my absolute favorite subjects in all the world – reading books & making things! Thanks for all you do – it is appreciated.
Precious metal clay is my next “new horizon” for the new year. There are so many possibilities with this medium! Of course, this also means that I “get” to purchase many new types of cool tools and supplies!! LOL
I would love to learn how to pour liquid plastic without getting bubbles and sticky surfaces. If you have any suggestions or product information, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
I am really interested in working with resins and the native desert plants here in the desert southwest.
I have always wanted to play with silverclay and incorporate found objects into the designs, either impressions into the clay or encasing the object, etc.
Thank you for the advice! I think I will try both now! What kind of paint do you use? I am a painter too and have lots of acrylics.
WOW~~ I would love this book! As to what intrigues me for next year: I’d really like to try the gorgeous embroidery you do…I also want to learn how to transfer images to clay, and learn how to use resin. Plus, I want to get into using lots of different materials…my daughter owns an online store for scrapbookers who are into mixed media, and I want to send jewelry into the same universe. Just this morning I saw an artist who stiffened cheesecloth to make insect wings! Just beautiful, and different from anything I’ve seen before. I love the fact that the more I investigate, the more possibilities I see! I’m still something of a newbie on all of this, but can see that I won’t run out of ideas for the rest of my life!
In 2010, I would like to work more with found items of nature, sticks, stones, pressed flowers etc. Working these in with beads, clay, different metals is my idea of a good time in 2010!
There’s a lot of things I’d like to try, but probably won’t because it’s too expensive. Reading Hadar Jacobson’s blog has gotten me very interested in copper, bronze and steel clay (silver clay doesn’t appeal to me). And torch-fired enamels as well as raku-fired enamels seem very intresting.
What I will do is probably going to be more mixing of materials and techniques. Trying new combinations. Probably return to wirework, finding new things there, or explore bead embroidery and I haven’t done anything much of that the last years.
Other than that I’ll keep my fingers crossed I get money to buy pewter sheet metal and do some traditional hand-engraving on that, inspired by a handcrafted necklace I own. High quality pewter is a lovely material. There’s this course in pewtersmithing I’d love to take, but unfortunatly it’s too far away. Will hold on to the dream though.
Doing wirework. While I’d love to get into metal clay, doing wirework won’t require buying as much new equipment, and there are so many wonderful things being done with it these days!
I’m moving away from my previous style and experimenting with new (to me) techniques. I want to try out some of the faux bone and I’d like to do more Art Clay and try the new Copper and Bronze clays. I’ve signed up for a workshop (Adorn Me!) next year where I expect to learn a lot of techniques such as sawing, soldering, cold connections, bezel setting etc. Also I’ve just started working with iron wire and want to try out aluminum and stainless steel.
I’ve just discovered Fordite…it’s actually a manufacturing by-product. When cars were painted, the skids that the cars were on were also painted, so that over time layer upon layer of color built up and was hardened by the baking process used to cure the car bodies. Some enterprising factory workers gathered the residue when the skids were cleaned and found that it could be cut and polished to make colorful, agate like “stones”. I want to try some as cabs and focal beads in upcoming jewelry projects
My goal is to do more forging with mixed media, using sheet and tubing along with the wire that I’m familiar with.. Mixing silver, copper and bronze with natural stones, raku and glass. I’d also like to start designing with transparent faceted stones instead of simply using beads or semi-precious cabs. I would not give up the semi-precious, but it would be fun to work with a few more sparklies.
I am going to work w/ resin. I think it really dovetails w/ my mixed media collage & beadwork.
I have done a lot of stringing and a very little bead weaving. I want to learn more beading stitches. I love the little bags worn as necklaces and want to make some for my grand children. My goal for the following year is working with metal clay.