Goddess Tree of Life - Now on Artfire - Adopt her! Quick!

A new Tree of Life with a lovely Raku porcelain goddess, available in my ArtFire store. (click here)
She has lovely Chakra rainbow gemstones for the leaves.

Ah, the Tree of Life, complete with Goddess! Metaphor, mystical, symbolic - found in every ancient culture in one form or another. The roots reaching deep into the earth, into the underworld, the branches reaching high above, into the heavens...

Here we have pure raw copper wire artfully twisted and shaped with great care. Seven gemstones represent the chakra or rainbow - garnet, peach aventurine, citrine, green aventurine, turquoise, iolite and amethyst.

This wonderful little Raku Goddess jumped into the pile of gemstones and tied herself to the tree with a rope of copper wire.

She's just shy of 1 inch tall all by her lonesome, and the whole pendant is a whopping 3 inches tall, from tip of the woven Toodles bale to the bottom of the tangled roots, and 2 1/4 inch wide.

This bold pendant attracts attention and admiration, hanging from a 20 inch dark brown butter soft leather cord with handmade clasp.
The bail is my favorite Toodles Weave hook, providing easy transfer to other types of neck-wear.

I have oxidized this copper pendant for easy care. Just a quick buff with a soft cloth brings multitudes of ooooo and ahhhhh compliments.

The Tree of Life symbolizes shelter, immortality, beauty, family, mankind, wisdom, protection, strength, bounty, redemption, regeneration.

A smattering of new pieces

I took some time to set the muse free. Colorful magnasite or funky jasper paired with Large Loop links and Waves with Turquoise seems to be the theme. Whatcha think?
All the stones are from Magpie Gemstones, of course! Beautiful, as always!

OMGoodness!

Oooo, purty! While taking photos for some tuts I'm attempting, I threw the love knot bracelet in front of the camera and messed with zoom. Y'all might not think this photo is anything special, but it impresses me all to pieces. 'Specially compared to the non-zoom shots taken at the same time. Geez, gotta mess with zoom some more!

The knots are different gauges of wire, to demonstrate how each one looks. The turquoise disk and copper spacers and bead caps are from Magpiegemstones, of course.

Butterfly Kisses Bracelet - Class

Three hours - 12-3 OR 6-9pm

Butterfly wings gently kissing your wrist. Choose your favorite color beads, add some copper wire and learn to bind and spiral wire, forge with a hammer and fashion a clasp.

*Skill Level: Some experience is helpful, determined beginners are welcome

Sign up NOW to reserve your seat, space is limited - http://andthebeadgoesonline.com/

Class Friday Dec 26 in Bracken

Join me on Friday to learn the Toodles Weave.

This is the weave which dear Denise Peck, editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, asked me to write for the magazine. This weave makes beautiful rings, as you can see above, and bezels for pendants, and bails like my Tree of Life, or use it in smaller bits for interesting detail and texture in the midst of other projects.

Learn the Weave, then go all out and make a bracelet ala Princess Leia Goes to the Beach -

Treat yourself! Come have a play with wire day!
Sign up now, online, at And The Bead Goes On Go to the calendar for December and scroll down.

Choose the daytime class - 12-3 - or the evening class - 6-9
Instruction for the Toodles Weave Adjustable Ring - $45 plus the wire.

Custom turquoise work and Magpie rocks

Dear Yolanda persisted and made me string. This luscious strand of AAA grade waxed Turquoise, from the Magpie, chose Yolanda and insisted on a simple treatment - 6 inches of sterling chain for maximum adjustability, Bali sterling cones for the ends and large hole Bali beads to disguise the crimps. It looked lovely with the black shirt she wore when picking up the finished necklace. Then she chose a pretty strand of dark carnelian to make me string again... Keep watch for upcoming photos, once the muse allows me to finish playing with it...

And then.....

While I had the stringing supplies out, I made up some fun little basic bracelets. I played with lovely turquoise nuggets and some really popping 10mm red tiger eye, and a variety of copper beads and some sterling vermeil, all from the Magpie. Those toggles are my handmade bars of 14 gauge wire and really cool 3/4" twisted rings from Magpie Gemstones. So easy to put on the wrist and so yummie!

Oh yummie! Here's Yolanda's carnelian necklace, with small clear vintage Swarovski crystals and lovely sterling bead caps. Simple but oh so lovely -

Quartz Skulls and Copper

Magpie Gemstones quartz crystal skulls and lots of copper! Three cute little bracelets, each sporting a crystal skull. They are so much more beautiful than the camera will capture. My favorite is the one in the center.

Toodles Weave with Labradorite

More lovely Magpie Gemstones treasure! This Labradorite cabochon is simply scrumptious! It has so much more fire than the camera will pick up.
Just a hair over one and a half inches tall, from the top of the Toodles bale to the bottom coil of copper wire and almost one and one quarter inches wide.
Toodles Weaving at it's finest, floating on a solid copper link chain with a handmade, hammered spiral clasp!

Tree of Life with a Raku Goddess

Oooooo, I've been playing with some lovely treasures from Magpie Gemstones.
This wonderful little Raku Goddess jumped into the pile of rainbow chakra stones and tied herself to the tree with a rope of copper wire.
She's just shy of 1 inch by her lonesome, and the whole pendant is a whopping 3 inches tall, from tip of the woven Toodles bale to the the dear tangled roots.
She looks great floating from a chunk of Magpie solid copper chain, with a handmade spiral clasp, of course!

Guitar picks on cable

Hah! My stash of guitar picks surfaced the other day, and my dremel made an appearance right after. Then, a trip to see Szarka, and of course a wander thru Magpie Gemstones , led to snagging some interesting black cable to make chokers.
I _luv_ the skull beads! All the beads are solid copper, by the way. No yukkie plated stuff here.
Many more picks are waiting to be hung....
What do _you_ think?

Class Schedule from July thru Sept

*** All classes are 3 hours - 12-3pm - OR - 6-9pm -- EXCEPT Toodles Pendant - 4 hours - 11-3pm OR 6-8/two consecutive Fri nights ***

All projects will be done in copper unless noted in their description or you make prior arrangements.

Classes are held at And The Bead Goes On, in Bracken Village. More details, map, calendar and link to sign up are here .
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July 4 - If the store is open, we'll have a daytime class only - Scallops Bracelet - Beginner
A fun little project for a holiday class. Suitable for beginners, fun for pros. Lovely little scallops all around your wrist.

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7/11 - Intro to Wire/Serpentine Bracelet - bootcamp #1 - Beginner
Learn the basics of wire and how to handle the tools by making various components to assemble a unique bracelet. Learn the straight up noose, serpent link, jump rings, dangle charms, S-hook, hammering and oxidizing. There are at least 6 earring combinations resulting from the skills gleaned in these techniques. Never handled wire before? Come join the addiction!

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7/18 - Cube Classic Cuff - Beginner
Learn to make the basic cuff bracelet. Suitable for cubes, rounds, large or small beads, or no beads at all. In class we will be using cube beads and heavy wire. Tips, hints and many samples of other possibilities.

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7/25 - Spiral Heart earrings - Beginner
Whimsical hearts in mixed metals. Spiral and curve and hammer, add some sterling for flash. Perhaps add dangling sparklies?

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Aug 1 - Flutterbye and S-Links bracelet - beginner
Learn to make a 16g sterling S-link chain, with the focal center a version of the Twin Spiral, which reminds me of a butterfly, popularized by Sharilyn Miller who learned at the feet of Lynn Merchant, wire goddess.
In class, we'll make various dangly wire charms to decorate your new creation. If you want to do this bracelet in sterling, be sure to specify when you sign up. Otherwise we'll have copper cut and ready for you.

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8/8 - Spiral Rings - Beginner
Make 2 fully adjustable heavy gauge rings! One technique, two different results - one with piles of spirals and the other reminiscent of ancient fork rings, with many more styles possible. Learn to bind wire, make spirals, hammer and oxidize.

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8/15 - Tree of Life - Beginner
Metaphor, mystical, symbolic - found in every ancient culture in one form or another. The roots reaching into the earth, into the underworld, the branches reaching high above, into the heavens. Design your own special tree. Use tiny stone bits for a leafy tree, or fill the branches with your family birthstones.

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8/22 - Jellyroll - bootcamp #2 - Beginner
Coiled and Beaded Cuff Bracelet - 8mm beads and a bit of wire, viola! Your very own wearable art! Change the beads, change the look entirely! Positively stunning with Swarovski crystals!

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8/29 - Intro to Wire/Serpentine Bracelet - bootcamp #1 - Beginner
Photo above
Learn the basics of wire and how to handle the tools by making various components to assemble a unique bracelet. Learn the straight up noose, serpent link, jump rings, dangle charms, S-hook, hammering and oxidizing. There are at least 6 earring combinations resulting from the skills gleaned in these techniques. Never handled wire before? Come join the addiction!

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Sept 5 - This class has been canceled. My store ladies get to go play in Tuscon, so I get a day off, too.
Toodles Ring - Bootcamp #3 - Intermediate -
MUST have taken one (any) of my other classes prior so I know you are wire proficient.
Learn the Toodles Weave, previously published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Summer Preview 2007, by creating an adjustable ring with charming dangly beads.

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9/12 - 12-3 (4 hours) OR 6-8pm - Part 1 - Toodles Pendant bootcamp #4 - Advanced -
All students MUST have taken the Toodles Ring or The Tree of Life with the Toodles bail.
Expand the Toodles Weave to capture a cabochon or cameo. Learn to weave fine wire around a heavier frame, a little or a lot, all around or as a highlight. This is the tutorial featured in the Summer *Preview* edition of Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine 2007, which is out of print. Now available directly from the author, Sherry, and taught exclusively at And the Bead Goes On! in Garden Ridge, Texas.

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9/19 - (12-3pm only) - Hammered Heart - Beginner
Hearts and sparkles, won't you be mine? Hammer some copper, wrap some sterling for detail, make a few jumprings, dangle a whole assortment of sparklies, then turn a bit of wire and some cord into a necklace to show off your lovely new creation. This cute heart makes a great Mother gift - use birthstone colors for all the family!

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9/19 - (6-8pm part 2) - Toodles Pendant part 2- Advanced -
MUST have taken Part one last week

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9/26 - Border wrap - Beginner
A classic, ancient and most versatile setting for jewelry making, with unlimited possibilities from simple to extraordinarily ornate. Learn to measure your stone, choose the appropriate placement for your bundle wires, bind several wires together to form a bezel to frame your stone, then set your muse free to embellish the details.

Black River - Black Onyx Toodles

Glossy black onyx with a shimmery white river flowing across the side, wrapped in miles of copper wire, oxidized to black velvet in all the depths. Luscious!
No solder, no glue, just wire and pliers and blessings from the muse.

The 30x40mm cab makes the finished piece nearly 2-1/2 x 1-3/4 inches. Large hook bail will fit any size chain or ribbon.
$175
Currently available at And the Bead Goes On, in Bracken Village. Email Sue and Ellen for online buying details -
Designs@AndTheBeadGoesOnline.com

Toodles Pendant - Class

Four hour class

Expand the Toodles Weave to capture a cabochon or cameo. Learn to weave fine wire around a heavier frame, a little or a lot, all around or as a highlight. This is my tutorial, featured in the Summer 2007 *Preview* edition of Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine, which is now out of print. Come learn the weave from the author - moi!

*Skill Level: Beginner but experience with wire is Very helpful -- Never handled wire before? Come join the addiction!

Sign up NOW to reserve your seat, space is limited - http://andthebeadgoesonline.com/

Lovely Tiger Eye, perfectly round, all swirls and spirals, oxidized to bring out all the detailed depths.

A lovely fossilized coral cabochon, 30x40mm, wrapped up in a tight Toodles Weave. Beautiful copper, deeply oxidized for easy care and gorgeous detail.

No solder, no glue, just skill and patience with wire and pliers.

See other versions of Toodles here and here and here and here.

Own the Toodles Weave tutorial in PDF form -
Here - http://sherrysjewels.ecrater.com/
OR here -
http://www.magpiegemstones.com/tutorials.html

Bloodstone - Toodles series

Ah, bloodstone! Treasured friends wanted a piece for a sister, who collects bloodstone. The muse delivered...

whoowhoo, I'm on ebay! - Toodles series

Here's your chance to pick up a piece (or 3) of my art from the comfort of your own home. Dear friends have listed 3 of my pieces on ebay.
Search ebay for seller tuttomurano (Note - the ebay listings have expired, so sorry you missed them)

Be sure to check out their other offerings, oooo such deliciously gorgeous glass!

First, Rutile Splendor, more pictures in my entry for Oct 3, and on ebay -

Toodles series - Green agate woven bezel, more pictures in my entry for September 21, 2006, shot before oxidizing, and on ebay, but those don't seem to show the lovely apple green, or is it my monitor that's wrong?
Toodles series - A vintage turquoise cabochon, raw copper wire, which I can oxidize if desired, with a triple strand leather and non-tarnish copper necklace. More pictures on ebay.


The Toodles Weave tutorial in PDF form -
http://www.magpiegemstones.com/tutorials.html

Turquoise curlies - Toodles series - Sold

One more vintage turquoise cab, lovingly captured in copper wire. Copper is such a natural mate for turquoise given that they come from the same bit of earth.
The turquoise piece is 30x40mm, the entire piece is 1 5/8" wide and 2 1/4" tall. Carefully oxidized to control the tarnish. A simple wipe with any soft cloth will make it shine in moments.
The bail is, again, a large hook, making it a simple matter to switch between heavy chain or a leather cord necklace, short today and long tomorrow. Ahhhh, versatility!
Sold


Own the Toodles Weave tutorial in PDF form -
Here - http://sherrysjewels.ecrater.com/
Or Here -
http://www.magpiegemstones.com/tutorials.html