Beading Bracelets

Club Creative Studio hand-made wire bracelet.

Turquoise bracelet hand-twisted wire from Club Creative Studio.

Club Creative Studio speaks often about creativity. Here on the blog, you will find inspiration from art, project ideas, and other helpful information stemming from creativity. Today is no different in that I am sharing a short story from the spark of creativity that comes from the opportunity to collaborate and brain-storm.

I attended a networking event a few months ago and there, I met very interesting business people. Among all of them, I met a lady who had a common thread with me. We both shared the love and passion for beads. She was also designing jewelry so needless to say we had much to talk about. What began from a single common friendship fostered a bond through beading. As we connected via other social media methods, we learned more about each other. We planned an outing together to a local bead store that was going out of business. It was there that we spent several hours looking and speaking about beads as well as shopping for beads. It was really a fun time to spend time with someone with a shared enthusiasm for beads and supplies. We are now “beading buddies”.

My beading buddy bought a bracelet (say that three times fast). The wire bracelet was a store sample from one of their classes. When we looked at it we thought the same thing. We both had wondered how it was made, and if we could figure it out by closer examination, since there was not a way to get instruction from the store that was going out of business. We both had mentioned that we had wanted to try to create something similar but had not taken instruction on the technique. We thought that we could make them ourselves. We ended up splitting the cost of the bracelet and I took it home to dissect so we could recreate it later.

After meeting for a brain-storming session, we combined our creative time, and collaborated with our supplies to make our own versions of the same bracelet. Turns out the pattern was a good starting point for us to springboard into our own style and wire-wrapping techniques. Our skill levels were expanding together and we were inspiring to each other. That is what I am thankful for today, the opportunity to connect and support the creative drive of a fellow artist. Can you think of someone you have merged talents with or have benefitted from bouncing ideas off of? Do tell how it was a positive impact for you.

I am now getting comfortable with the technique and my materials. I will soon be able to offer these hand-made bracelets online for others to enjoy and purchase http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Feel free to “like” Club Creative Studio on Facebook. You can see a “Sneak Peek” from time to time of a fresh design on the Club Creative Studio Facebook page at http://www/facebook.com/clubcreativestudio

Related articles

• Admire and Inspire: Buds Buy Beads (clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com)
• The Curse of a Beader (clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com)

Multi-Strand Art From Club Creative Studio

Click on the link below to enjoy a short video highlighting hand-made, MULTI-STRAND necklaces from Club Creative Studio.

Multi-Strand Art From Club Creative Studio.

Making Jewelry Stinks (sometimes)

It does, this idea does stink but, with artful results.

Today’s Club Creative Studio post is a special feature post that deals with a great idea that stems from what might seem as an unlikely place in jewelry-making, it is the location called your kitchen.   I love to discover a technique that is interesting and this one is so worth sharing.

Although we love for things to come out of our kitchen smelling wonderful, this is a kitchen/jewelry project that really stinks!  Consider yourself warned AND informed.  In this case, what stinks is also pretty cool.  If you are making jewelry and enjoy experimenting, this is something that you may be interested in trying, or at least it is nice to know.

People called “Foodies” are great fans of food.  If you are one that spends many hours in the kitchen creatively cooking, baking or eating, then you know how important that environment can be.  It can be a space of much discovery. And so today, you can combine the kitchen, food and jewelry making all in one project.

How could this be that all of those things can combine in an artful way?  Let me share a tip I came across that is helpful for those who like to experiment and find options to incorporate in their creative jewelry creations. Don’t be chicken (like me) try it and let me know about your results.  It’s and Egg-cellent idea. 

Did you know that you can use a hard-boiled egg to create the look of patina on sterling silver wire findings? You’ll need a hard-boiled egg, sterling silver item, a zip-seal plastic bag. Here is what you do for the process:  After hard boiling your eggs while they are still hot, take your peeled hard-boiled eggs and slice them in half, placing in the air-tight bag.

The yolk is the primary source of sulfur and it is the yolk that will be reacting chemically to the sterling silver item you place in a bag.  For an average-sized single piece of jewelry, two eggs will be enough, but the larger the item, the more eggs you need. To oxidize multiple pieces of jewelry, you will need to add more eggs, and use a larger bag as well.

The aim of this project is to turn sterling silver items into items with an aged and patina-look.

Waiting for the oxidation process is next, the silver will bond with oxygen.  Leave the contents in the closed zipped bag for a few days, when it oxidizes, you’ll want to brush your item with fine steel wool.  Polishing with a soft cloth afterwards will complete your project.  You hope to come out of this with a nice aged-look on your item. The longer you leave it in the bag, the darker your patina will be. Make sure to discard your eggs when done, do not consume them.

The alternative to this method in the kitchen is of course using Liver of sulfur (which actually smells the same) but, this is a natural way to avoid that chemical.

I look forward to trying this technique as I become a bit more brave with rotting egg smell.  However, if it works, in the end it doesn’t stink after all.

Do not eat the eggs after you have completed this project.