Fused Glass Pendant Tutorial
For Christmas last year, my husband bought me a microwave kiln. I was so excited. Unfortunately, the first few pendants I made were blobby and really, really ugly. So I started experimenting with cook times, methods of cutting, widths of glass, and found that though these microwave kilns are small, there are some great projects that you create with them.
There are several microwave kilns out there. I have the Fuseworks kit that included the kiln, gloves, glass, millefiori, glass cutter, kiln paper and several findings. The kit has so much with it that I have only had to reorder glass once since I got it and I’ve made dozens of pendants and earring sets with it. They also offer decal/stickers and several pre-cut shapes and being the lazy crafter that I am, I love that.
Below is a tutorial that gives information on making some cute summer pendants–one flower pendant and a patriotic, abstract 4th of July pendant.
For this tutorial I’ve listed a few links and a supply list below:
Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit
(click on photo for more info)
(comes with glass cutter, confetti, millefiori, glass pieces, kiln shelf paper, gloves and more)
Fuseworks Round Clear Glass Disks
(click on photo for more info)
20 Gauge Sterling Silver Round Wire
(you need 3-4 inches but buying by the foot is more cost-effective)
Glass/metal glue (I’m listing a couple of options here…)
E6000 Adhesive – 3.7 Oz
Diamond Glaze – 10 Oz(dries clear)
Bent nose pliers
Wire cutters
Filed under Tips & Tutorials | Tags: 4th of july pendant, daisy pendant, fused glass pendant, fused glass tutorial, fuseworks kiln, jewelry tutorial, july 4th pendant, microwave kiln | Comment (1)Polymer Clay Inspirations
I’m an instant gratification kind of gal and after trying so many different media and exploring clay in so many ways, I was delighted to discover polymer clay. A few years ago I began working with it, but it wasn’t until I began taking classes and tutorials and became inspired by other polymer clay artists, that I dove in with both feet.
My initial problem was bright colors. I love bright colors but somehow, because my jewelry is more natural or organic, I didn’t think that I could work with polymer clay and stay true to my inspirations. I found a tutorial by Cindy Lietz, on Faux Carved Beads that really helped me to see that it could really take on an organic look. The tutorial shows excellent carving techniques and also how to use paint to highlight the recesses and age the piece. I also discovered the more muted, suede-like Studio by Sculpey polymer clay that incorporated well into my designs.
I put this together with some of my copper, wire wrapping and also began forging my own clasps, a technique also inspired by one of Cindy’s tutorials on Hammered Copper Wire findings–which was honestly the beginning of my love of metal (I have now taken several metalsmithing classes and love it). That really gives my necklaces and neck collars that finishing touch and makes my pieces truly entirely handmade.
Below are some photos of some of my polymer clay neck collars and necklaces:
Mountain Fossil Necklace
Polymer clay, stamped, carved & antiqued, forged copper necklace & clasp
Mountain Mud Necklace
Studio by Sculpey polymer clay, stamped, carved and antiqued, copper findings, steel wire, copper forged clasp
Blue Mud Necklace
Studio by Sculpey, antiqued, copper wire and leather necklace with hammered copper findings.
These necklaces were some of my larger pieces that were perhaps less functional and more “artsy.” I’m working on adapting these into some smaller versions and also offer earrings as well.
Filed under Inspirations & Musings | Tags: antiqued polymer clay, faux carved beads, organic look for polymer clay, polymer clay, polymer clay necklace, polymer clay tutorials, studio by sculpey | Comments (4)100 FREE Jewelry Tutorials
Want to expand your jewelry making prowess? Check out these 100 Free Jewelry Technique and Project Tutorials created by various artists and designers throughout the web. We have divided these into categories: Beading, Chains, Glass, Holiday, Tips & Projects, Kid’s Jewelry, Macrame & Hemp, Metalsmithing & Stone Setting, PMC & Polymer Clay, Resin, String/Thread Art and Wirewrapping/Wire Jewelry.
- BEADING
- Barefoot Summer Sandal Tutorial
The Beading Emporium – Judy Markwell - Beginning Looming
Fire Mountain Gems – Marlynn McNutt - Cluster Drop Earrings
Auntie’s Beads – Karla Kam - Cubed herringbone beaded bracelet
Auntie’s Beads - Daisy Chain Stitch
Fire Mountain Gems – Marlynn McNutt - Knotted Silk Cord Necklace
ringsnthings.com designed by Angela Womach - Knots Tutorial
Fire Mountain Gems - Leather Crimp end Necklace
Auntiesbeads.com – Karla Kam - Loopy Chain Bracelet
Auntiesbeads.com – Karla Kam - Memory Wire Bracelet
Fire Mountain Gems - Paua Shell Bracelet
Fire Mountain Gems - Peyote Stitch
Aunt Molly’s Bead Street - Traditional bead knotting
jewelrymaking.about.com – Tammy Powley - Vintage silver beaded necklace
Rio Grande – Mark Nelson - Wool Felt Beads
woolcrafting.com- CHAINS
- Byzantine Chain
Beaducation.com – Colin Mahler - Chain Mail – Introduction
Beaducation.com – Colin Mahler - Figure 8 Chain
www.jewelrylessons.com – Abby Hook - Old Fashioned Chain
www.jewelrylessons.com - Spanish Style Chain
jewelrymaking.about.com- GLASS JEWELRY
- Fusing Glass – Beginner
jewelrymaking.about.com - Glass Pendant
www.simplymodernmom.com (crafts) - Glass Tile Pendant & Ring
John W Golden- HOLIDAY JEWELRY TUTORIALS
- Beaded Christmas Earrings
The Beading Emporium – Tracy Bretl - Beaded Spider Earrings
jewelrymaking.about.com – Tammy Powley - Mother’s Day Bracelet
www.how-to-make-jewelry.com - Paper Bead Christmas Tree Earrings
infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com- JEWELRY TIPS & PROJECTS
- Color Basics
Fire Mountain Gems – Judy Hendrix - Kidney Hook Earwires
www.jewelrylessons.com - Knotted Headpins
www.jewelrylessons.com - Make Earring hoops from wire
youtube.com – stonesfindings - Make Your Own Earwires
Beaducation.com – Lisa Niven Kelly - Making loops on headpins and eyepins
The Beadery - Tips for filing metal
jewelrymaking.about.com – Tammy Powley- KIDS JEWELRY PROJECT TUTORIALS
- Beaded Bracelet
www.cloudclaytv.com - Funky Rubber Necklace
Auntie’s Beads – Karla Kam - Water Bracelet
family.go.com- MACRAME & HEMP JEWELRY
- Beaded Hemp Anklet
eclecticdesigns - Macrame Jewelry for Beginners
www.how-to-make-jewelry.com - Spiral Knot Hemp Bracelet
www.expertvillage.com- METALSMITHING & STONE SETTING TUTORIALS
- Bezel Fabrication – Part 1 – Measuring bezel
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Bezel Fabrication – Part 2 – Soldering bezel
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Bezel Fabrication – Part 3 – Shape bezel to stone
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Bezel Fabrication – Part 4 – Adjusting size of bezel
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Bezel Fabrication – Part 5 – Soldering bezel to backplate
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Creating a ball on wire ends
Art Jewelry Magazine – Jill Erickson - Cutting metal discs with disc cutter
Roma Buchanan – The Roma Zone - Dapping metal
Rio Grande – Mark Nelson - Fused Seamless Silver Heart
www.jewelrylessons.com - Intro to Metalsmithing
jewelrymaking.about.com - Lost wax casting
jewelrymaking.about.com – Tammy Powley - Making Silver Granules
Ronda Coryell – Ganoskin Project - Riveting/Cold Connections Tutorial
www.hathorrising.com - Riveting Jewelry
www.eHowArtsandCrafts.com - Russian Filigree Pendant
Victoria Lansford – Ganoskin Project - Sawing & Piercing metal sheet
Rio Grande – Mark Nelson - Soldering Jumprings
Rio Grande – Mark Nelson - Squiggle Ring
Rio Grande – Mark Nelson - Stamping on Metal
Beaducation.com – Lisa Niven Kelly - Setting a stone into a bezel – Part 1 – Adjusting height of bezel for stone
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Setting a stone into a bezel – Part 2 – Use bezel pusher to set stone
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Setting a stone into a bezel – Part 3 – Using burnisher
Art Jewelry Magazine – Addie Kid - Wire bezel fabrication for pear shaped stone
Luis Moreno – Ganoskin Project- PRECIOUS METAL CLAY (PMC) and POLYMER CLAY
- Art Clay Pendant
Fire Mountain Gems - Basic Jelly Roll Cane
Polymer Clay Central – Sunni Bergeron - Conditioning Polymer Clay
Cindy Lietz – Beadsandbeading.com - Creating a photo transfer on polymer clay
www.sculpey.com - Faux Opals
Polymer Clay Central – Barbara Reider - Faux Rose Quartz
Polymer Clay Central – C.A. Therien - Faux Snake Skin
Desiree’s Desired Creations - Hook & Eye Clasp – from Silver Metal Clay
Gelt Designs - Intro to PMC -Part 1
Cool Tools Videos - Intro to PMC – Part 2
Cool Tools Videos - Layered Lentil Bead
www.carolynsclaycreations.com - Mica Shift Technique
www.sculpey.com - Mokume Gane Pendant – Polymer clay
Sculpey.com – Patricia Kimle - Mold making for PMC
Cool Tools Videos - Mosaic Cane
Elissa Powell – Polyzine - Raku (faux) Techniques
Linda Twohill – Polyzine - Skinner Blend
Polymer Clay Central – Leigh Ross - Wet sanding polymer clay
Cindy Lietz – beadandbeading.com- RESIN JEWELRY
- Drilling into resin
Resinobsession.com - Resin Jewelry – Part 1
John W. Golden - Resin Jewelry – Part 2
John W. Golden - Resin Jewelry – Part 3
John W. Golden - Sanding Resin
Resinobsession.com- STRING/THREAD ART JEWELRY
- String Art Pendant Tutorials (also called Peruvian Thread)
Camille Sharon- WIRE JEWELRY/WIRE WRAPPING
- Beaded Wire Cross
www.jewelrylessons.com - Crocheted Wire Necklace
Auntie’s Beads – Karla Kam - Fancy Headpins
www.jewelrylessons.com - Herringbone weave (wire)
Eni Oken – Enioken.com - How to Wire Wrap a Cabochon
jewelrymaking.about.com – Tammy Powley - Knit with Wire
jewelrymaking.about.com - Rabbit Ear Pendant Bail
www.jewelrylessons.com - Tree of Life Pendant
Camille Sharon - Two Bead Ring
www.jewelrylessons.com - Wire spiral
Beaducation.com – Lisa Niven Kelly - Wire Wrap a Cabochon – for beginners
Tumbleweed Glass Studio - Wire Wrapped Briolette
www.jewelrylessons.com
Creative Packaging for Handmade Jewelry
After spending hours and sometimes days creating a piece of jewelry, there is just no way I’m putting it in a plain white box. I want it to be experienced from it’s wrappings to its essence.
However, I don’t want to pass along the cost of fancy wrappings to my clients, so I started searching for a creative alternative. I wanted something that was customizable, yet inexpensive. Something easy to assemble, and practical to store.
Box template - 2 15/16" base
One day I was looking through a pile of old scrapbooking stuff and found this really nifty template for a “dome” box. I am not sure where it came from–it was too small and a bit awkward for what I needed, so I scanned it into Photoshop and fiddled with the dimensions until it was just right for my purposes. The final product creates a “dome” box that has a square base that is 2 15/16.”
I played around with it & discovered I could get 2 boxes from one piece of 12×12 scrapbooking paper. Eureka! This was the personal touch I had been searching for. These were easily cut from the template (4-5 pieces at a time with my mega shears) and can be stored flat and assembled in a jiffy (for shows, etc).
I was so excited–I ran right out to my local scrapbooking store (Sandy’s Scrapbook Corner – if you are ever in Brevard, NC) and bought a ton of paper from their clearance racks. I cut about 50 boxes the other day and they ended up being about .30 a piece or so.
Customized boxes
The awesome thing about these boxes is that you can customize it to your jewelry. If it’s a funky pair of earrings, then you can use funky paper. If it’s a Christmas gift, then use Christmas paper, etc. And if you are at a show, you can even tell your clients they can pick the box they’d like. Custom Wrapping!!!! In seconds.
Now, this is not a sturdy box–not one that will protect the jewelry, it’s more like wrapping paper, but it does have a bit more girth and dimension than plain wrapping paper. I place the jewelry in a tarnish-resistant bag, then wrap it in tissue, and that along with my tag goes into the box. It will also fit a bit of bubble wrap if needed.
I’ve thought about exploring creative ways to seal the boxes – with custom labels or a custom wax seal or something. For now I just leave them as-is.
Also, you can enlarge the template if you need it for a larger box–you might want to use heavier paper (like card stock) if you are doing that.
Box closed
Box cut from template, opened
Enjoy & please share your ideas as well!
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Filed under Jewelry Packaging & Presentation | Tags: creative jewelry packaging, customized jewelry boxes, how to make a paper box, how to package jewelry creatively, inexpensive jewelry box, paper box template, scrapbook paper box | Comments (3)