Lynn's necklace

This is a necklace I created as a custom order for my friend. Her husband ordered it before Christmas and asked "Can you make a necklace for Lynn?". I said "sure", because I already had this design in my head! I always knew, if I make a necklace for Lynn it will look like this.
I enjoyed creating and waited nervously on Christmas day until the text message arrived on my phone: " I love, love, love my necklace"  :o))
This is what I needed to hear. That this is "HER" necklace, her new favorite. I love to create custom orders for a particular person and I love when the customer tells me "yes, this is it, this is what I want".

I have couple custom orders after Christmas and I can't wait to create them. Two are for my friends, so I know them and I have the design in my mind already. But then I have some gift certificates I sold before Christmas and I don't know the ladies yet. I am curious, about their ideas. I'll share the designs with you soon. Stay warm! 

Classes

So after couple months I started to teach again. This class was in Madison, AL in the new reopened 16 Main Gallery. Beginners class - create earrings. 6 women took the opportunity to create custom earrings and maybe they will give it someone as a Christmas gift.  During 2 hours we were able to finish 3 pairs of earrings and we had a lot of fun.

  

I really enjoy teaching. It's always the positive energy around,  the joy to create something with own hands. And I love to transfer this joy to others. I love to see the proudness of themselves in their eyes, how they carefully pack their finished earrings.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to plan a class schedule for this Fall. But I offer classes on demand.  How does it work? If you have a group of girlfriends (at least 5) you pick the class you want to take and the place where is it convenient for you. I am teaching at 16 Main Gallery in Madison, at Huntsville Art League Gallery in Huntsville and at Reflectives Art Gallery in Hampton Cove. I also offer to teach at your house or place of your choice (club house) etc...  Also Bridal parties and girls night out....
In the Spring I am planning to teach series of classes again. It is usually 6 weeks class (1x per week).
Any question, suggestion? Let me know.

Silver oxidizing - the hard boiled egg method

There are several ways  how to oxidize sterling silver. 

The chemical methods using black silver or liver of sulfur and the natural method using hard boiled egg. I like to think "green" and  always prefer the natural way as much as possible. 

So today I am sharing with you the method of oxidizing sterling silver with hard boiled egg. 

As an example I use one of my latest jewelry designs.  The pendant features green amethyst and fine wire wrapping. The shiny silver version doesn't show the wire wrapping and all it's details. The darker version will also highlight the beautiful stone. 

So here is how you do it!

The finished piece needs to be polished before oxidation.  

Boil an egg. Once done take out from water and cut it  (still in the shell) in 4 pieces. Put each piece to one corner of a clean plastic container. 

Place the jewelry piece  in the middle, be carful that it doesn't touch the egg. Close the lid immediately and leave it closed for at least 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes check the color. If you need it darker, place it back in the container. You can also take the jewelry out, polish it lightly and put it back in the container. To receive the best result, the egg must be very hot to produce an amount of steam, which oxidize the silver. The egg may be rewarmed in the microwave for the second oxidation. 

Once you are satisfied with the color (darknes),  remove the jewelry piece from the container. Polish the oxidized piece as needed to add accents and highlights. 

Interview

 I was interviewed by Rachel Krech for Associated Content 

To read the whole interview go to

Interview

Why haven't I made this bracelet sooner?

I  had this design in my head for a while. But other projects came along and I postponed production of this bracelet.
The links were created by fusing fine silver wire. For the fusing process I am using kitchen torch and work with an open fire. I have a safe place inside my garage, where I am fusing silver. But I can't do it with my 2 years old son on my side. I created the links one day, while my son was in the morning school. (I think I'll describe the fusing process in an other article, if someone is interested).
So links were done. 2 days ago  while I was sorting my beads, I  came across these fresh water pearls sticks. Why didn't I created the bracelet yet? I have the links done, so what's the matter?
With a fresh energy right that morning  I finished this piece. And I love it!
The bracelet is for sale in my on-line shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/msaly

  

Wire Workshop at HAL on June 25th

JOIN US AT HAL FOR

“FUN and FUNKY” FRIDAYS/JEWELRY MAKING

with Martina Svoboda

Meet your friends for an “Evening Out”, have fun, and keep your jewelry making skills fresh! Each class will complete a new piece of jewelry to keep or give as gifts! Additional supply fee ($7-$15 each class payable to instructor at each class)


SA-11D) Wire Workshop — Come explore the “Wonderful World of Wire!” We’ll play with wire of different sizes and types to create fabulous jewelry components. We’ll also explore the use of a variety of tools. Leave with jewelry YOU design!

During the class I'll demonstrate how to

FUSE FINE SILVER

with a kitchen torch.

June 25 — 6-9 PM $40 MBR/$45 non-MBR
Call HAL 256-534-3860 for more information and to register! Class size is limited to 8 students!

Custom Piece - Hot Air Balloon

I just created a custom piece. 

The assignment  was to create a wedding gift for the bride. It should be in sterling silver and it would be cute to try to incorporate hot air balloons or an illusion of hot air balloons in to the design. She loves pink and red. 

What do you think? How did it turned out?

 

"Fun and Funky" Fridays

Jewelry making workshops

with 
Martina Svoboda

Meet your friends for an “Evening Out”, have fun, and keep your jewelry making skills fresh! Each class will complete a new piece of jewelry to keep or give as gifts! Sign up for one or all (You get a 10% discount when you register for all three!)

Additional supply fee ($7-$15 each class payable to instructor at each class)

May 28  :  6-9PM

Seed Beads PARTY! 

Have fun and learn the Peyote stitch. This stitch is used in a multitude of Beading projects! 

June 4  :  6-9PM

Chain Mail 

Learn the proper tools and techniques to link jump rings into a beautiful pattern. Create your own byzantine chain bracelet. June4—6-9PM

June 25  :  6-9 PM

Wire Workshop

Come explore the “Wonderful World of Wire!” We’ll play with wire of different sizes and types to create fabulous jewelry components. We’ll also explore the use of a variety of tools. 

$40 MBR/$45 non-MBR for each Workshop

To register contact: 

Huntsville Art League

3005 L&N Drive

Huntsville, AL 35801

Phone: (256) 534-3860

Winner's choice

 The winner of personalized jewelry worth $75, Monika O'Keefe, has chosen 

her prize. 

Necklace and earrings
 Hand textured sterling silver with swarovski crystals

  

Congratulations again! 

Mary's beads

The store is amazing. A southern lady owns a beads store in her house in downtown Huntsville.  But I wouldn't write about it if that would be an ordinary beads store with couple trays of beads. I've seen a lot of places with beading supplies, but this one is something special. How? Well, I've never seen so many beads in one place. Mary, the store owner,  is an experienced antique and flee market business women and in middle of her antique stuff she has two rooms with beads. When I  stepped into her store for the first time I couldn't believe my eyes. The beads starts on the top and end on the bottom of the house! It looks chaotic, but it has a logic and in principle it's very well organized. Once you get use to it, you know where to find what. 
And what a treasure she has there!!!

My first visit there was very funny. Mary, the store owner,  is a real southern lady with a REAL southern accent. And then there was me, the lady with european accent, asking where to find fresh water pearls... ha? Mary turned to an other customer asking "what does she asking for"? The other lady: "well she asked for fresh water pearls" and then turned to me and explained "I used to work with eastern european customers, so I understand the accent".  So I turned to Mary and told her, it's ok, I didn't understand your accent either. We were all laughing. Now, every time when I visit the store Mary greats me  "Hello Ms Czechoslovakian Lady" and then she explains to other customers "you know she is from Czech Republic and I have Czech beads here and there.... :o)".

So if you ever visit Huntsville and want to see a "Gemstone Haven" visit Mary's beads store at Pratt ave.

Reception

Thank you all for coming to my reception. I hope you had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful art displayed in the Gallery.

I had a drawing for a personalized piece of jewelry worth $75.

So the winner is:

Monika O'Keefe

 Congratulations Monika!

Reception

Please join me for an opening Reception at Huntsville Art League (HAL) Gallery.
The reception will be on April 10, 2010 from 5-7pm. Light refreshments will be served. For direction to HAL Gallery click here:  www.huntsvilleartleague.org/contact.html

Kite

I was looking at the Lemon quartz for quite a while. Thinking about ideas, sketching and combining stones and .... here is the winner. I love the combination of gold and black.  It's kind of glamorous and mysterious at the same time. I wanted to call this piece "Thousand and one night".  But my 2 years old son decided - it's a kite! :o)) How simple the world can be in eyes of 2 years old.

This pendant is created from 14K gold filled wire and features beautiful Lemon quartz briolette crowned with black onyx rondelles.