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As always I'm inspired by Eni Oken and her consumate ability to create new and exciting patterns and projects. This is one such project. A netted bezel pendant made from Sterling silver, Fine Silver and a (I think) dyed agate stone bead. The bead has been floating around in my stash for quite a while waiting for a project to suit and it now gets worn regularly and commented on often.
In the last 2 weeks I've actually had a little time and inclination to make some new things. I've been inspired by some of the women on the Australian beading forum, well more like been shamed by them lol, but thats another story. So I thought I should get my act together and make some chain maille.Here are a couple of the new kits that I have made. The Olivia weave kit was finished only yesterday and only barely an hour before the class I was hosting. Phew!
Well, it seems that I lost a couple of months somewhere. What a couple of months it was also. In that time we have packed up 12 years of existance and moved to another home. Not by choice mind you, we were reasonably happy where we were but being tenants, we didn't have a lot of choice as our home was sold and the buyers weren't investers but developers. Soooo, we moved two suburbs away. Now whilst this was a huge upheaval to the family, it wasn't actually a bad move. We now rent a duplex (for international readers, this is one house divided into 2 units, both ground floor) on a lake. It's very like living in a resort lol and I pinch myself every day when I come home that I actually LIVE here. So the two months were spent half packing up, half unpacking and the worst affected by the move was the poor cat who had never been anywhere else and was inconsolable for the first few weeks. awwwwwww. My 13yo son had never moved since he could comprehend but he managed to take it all in his stride (thanks someone!). Now he has a lake to put his blow up dinghy on and its a very large swimming pool for summer. Plus, he has his own virtual ensuite (yippee!!!) and I have my own also. Plus !!!! wait for it............ my first dishwasher in many years! I just remembered that I can actually cook when I don't have to wash it up lol. Ahhh the small things in life are wonderful. Now if I could just afford a Ruba Scooba (robotic floor cleaner) I'd be made. Here's a pic looking at the lake from the kitchen window.
How excited could one person get ???? I asked the local library a couple of months back if I could exhibit my chain maille in the cabinet by the front door. I was expecting to be called around mid July to give me a date and then today I got a phone call saying someone had cancelled and would I like to display from today?? Does Sterling Silver tarnish? Is the pope a catholic? lol You've never seen someone have jewellery cleaned and displays organized so fast. I hope Irene From Peterson and Step By Step Wire Magazine appreciate the free plug also lol.
So now, the two roll aways are in the one spot and next to my new table. The table was always there in that spot but it just seemed to change vocation in an instant lol. Before this I had a very small folding craft table set up in the lounge. You would be amazed at how much STUFF fits in these two cabinets. lol. I can also turn my lounge room television around to face me here. Ahhhh bliss !
I was sitting around today in my lounge room looking at how my beading/wire obsession had taken over not only my dining room but the entire house bit by bit. I'm not a paranoid person about tidyness but it seemed to have gotten out of hand just a tad lol. My house is a small 1970's style with an entrance foyer which was apparently supposed to do two things. 1. Stop people at the door seeing inside your house and 2. be a meet and greet sort of area. It fails both dismally but as a studio, it is just fabulous. BTW, thats Ralph in the foreground, dedicated jewellery assistant lol.
This pendant was crafted using an Eni Oken tutorial which I bought to have a go at making a ring. The ring although pretty was too big and the stone was too dull and and and. Then I remembered this huge 45mm x 30mm stone bead that Ive had stashed for ages and I saw the challenge in the YOJ pages for a pond theme. I added 1 + 1 and got 3 of course. The 3 being, 1 very large blue stone, 1 very interesting tutorial and 1 handmade Jens Pind neck chain. The stone is quite obviously dyed but what stone it actually is, is a mystery. The adornment is done in Sterling Silver wire, Fine Silver wire, Sterling beads of varying sizes and pewter charms. The Jens Pind chainmaille neck chain was made in copper and then Fine Silver plated (plating not done by me).
So here I was thinking mmm OK I can make bangles, what is a bit more challenging and then I chanced upon the tutorial for this pendant. I had this gorgeous Labradorite cab and had been looking at it for a couple of years. This is nothing like what I envisioned for this stone when I bought it either. Considering this was a comparitively easy (I vaguely remember just a few expletives only lol) task, I then went on the hunt for unusual stones. I have a few now and in the near future, I will try something else.
Such a shame that I don't have pierced ears or I would wear these constantly. Yes, I'm thinking of having them pierced again sometime sooner or later. I did see these on another website and the idea just appealed to me instantly. Sterling wire rings which were leftovers from another project, 3mm Sterling beads and tiny Sterling fish (they're about 7mm long). This are very light and flash in the sun. I think I might take the posts off and put clip earring fittings on them.
Although this wasnt the very first bangle that I ever made, this one is what has started the current fascination with wire. I saw a picture of something very similar in someone else's website and I thought "I could make that" and I did. This is my personal bangle, I give the excuse that prototypes belong to me lol, then someone asks how much and you know it, its gone. As with some of my mothers jewellery. This one is Sterling and Carnelian. The bead coming from a Great Aunts necklace that was given to me. The necklace has been reborn from something old and daggy to several bangles, bracelets and centrepieces for necklaces.
Ive recently discovered that along with chain maille, I like to make bangles AND I'm more and more enamoured of wire wrapping, semi precious gems, pendants and anything that involves the muttering under breath and total concentration that some of these require.This bangle was made for my mum, whom has seen many chain maille bracelets made for her, then quickly sold and the promise of another replacement not lived up to in all cases. This is total sterling silver, including 0.7mm square wire and 4mm sterling silver balls. Its lovely to wear, light and fitted to her wrist.
This is called a Windflowers design and is made in Helm or Parallel weave depending upon which continent you are standing on lol. Im only sad that it is just too small for my own wrist or I would be wearing it now. Such a shame lol.
These are Euro 4 in 1 weave earrings. Made with 0.8mm wire and 3.0mm ID rings connected to post earrings and accentuated with Sterling Silver beads at the bottom
I thought I would put up a few of my pieces of Chain Maille. Some of these are made in copper and then plated in fine silver, some are Sterling Silver completely. You tell me if you can tell the difference. This is a Romanov weave in .914 guage wire with 6mm Blue Zircon Swarovski crystals and a magnetic clasp.
Ive looked on at other peoples blogs for a while now and wondered how hard it would be to have one of my own. Well this is it. I will have a look around now and see just what is involved and post more pics and things as I become accustomed to this new fangled toy lol. This is last weeks post on YOJ. Although I mentioned in there that the stones were Aventurine, they are actually Amazonite.
I saw a picture of this in a chain maille book (never one for remembering which on) and I thought I would have a go at making it from memory about 6 months later. This is made with Fine Silver plated rings sizes 1.2 x 7.0mm ID and 0.914 x 3.5mm ID. The bangle section is a store bought one where the ball on one end winds off. It is extremely comfortable to wear and the diamond section hangs over the front of the hand and another diamond over the back. It takes a bit of getting used to. Word of warning, Don't try to type with this on, its terribly annoying lol.
Good heavens, I just looked at when my last post was and its been 6 weeks. I looked twice to make sure it WAS 6 not 2 lol.
ck back 
and I will list them as they are completed.
So here I was thinking mmm OK I can make bangles, what is a bit more challenging and then I chanced upon the tutorial for this pendant. I had this gorgeous Labradorite cab and had been looking at it for a couple of years. This is nothing like what I envisioned for this stone when I bought it either. Considering this was a comparitively easy (I vaguely remember just a few expletives only lol) task, I then went on the hunt for unusual stones. I have a few now and in the near future, I will try something else.
Such a shame that I don't have pierced ears or I would wear these constantly. Yes, I'm thinking of having them pierced again sometime sooner or later. I did see these on another website and the idea just appealed to me instantly. Sterling wire rings which were leftovers from another project, 3mm Sterling beads and tiny Sterling fish (they're about 7mm long). This are very light and flash in the sun. I think I might take the posts off and put clip earring fittings on them.
