Lapidary / Gemstone Community Forum

This is just where I will be posting all the images of my work in 2014 so everyone can possibly learn something from my work.  Small tutorials possibly to come as well.   yes16

First one for 2014!

My very first piece in Art Clay Silver!  I'm finally working with metal clay thanks to my wonderful Fiancee Peter!

This piece is going to the woman who is making my wedding dress as a thank you.

Kool......................... yes16

Thanks Steve.  Now to work on my FMG entry - the sculpted silver dragons are coming!

Nice stuff Amanda........as always it's top notch for sure. I see where you have made the step into the metal clay area..........AWESOME.

I'm wanting to but very hesitant because I'm not very artistic shaping clay........plus the high cost of the clay. The positive side would be the less possibility's of having meltdowns as with the soldering routine.   It's very heavy on my mind.

I have got to get back to the cuttlebone casting as Cowboy does. I have a large piece of rough now so the learning circle begins.  hide35

39don

   

That is very nice, Amanda!  Thought at one time I wanted to do PMC, even got a book, which I am still trying to sell!  However after looking at the prices & other stuff involved, I changed my mind.  I have seen some pretty amazing pieces made by other people & I think I will just to continue enjoying what others do.  At least for the time being, anyway.  Who the heck knows what the future holds!!! dunno28

Donnie - I was only able to finally get into metal clay because of my amazing fiancee (Whom I marry TOMORROW).  Without his support and his willingness to help me follow my dreams this just would not have happened.  He gave me around $500 to invest in a small kiln and the basic supplies.  That's a lot of money and if I were still back east and single I wouldn't be doing metal clay as I wouldn't have had the funds for it.  I owe Peter a heck of a lot, he's turned my life around in so many ways, he's given me hope I didn't have before.  At this time last year had someone told me that I would be living in Phoenix with my Fiancee and stress free at this time next year I would have thought them totally nuts.  It's proof we just never know what the good Lord has in store for us.

I'll have pictures at some point tomorrow to post.
However I wanted to say, Gina, you saved my day and didn't even know it!!!!!!

I finished firing and cleaning my silver metal clay pieces for my FMG entry due by midnight tomorrow night.  Went to set the stone and the darn setting had shrunk more than what I had allowed for.  Art Clay silver is only supposed to have about 5-8% shrinkage.  Um sure....  So the stone I designed the setting for didn't fit, I needed something else in the oval shape that was in the same color family.  When you were here almost two weeks ago you gave me a couple Crazy Lace cabs.  Guess what?  One of them amazingly fit the setting and was the right color range.  You saved my day and saved my contest Entry!!!!  Thank you Gina!  You probably never thought you'd help me enter a contest did you?   ura12 yippie24 yes16 dancer27 dancer27

OK, so here's my FMG entry I'm going to have submitted before the deadline tonight.
This is the one where one of Gina's cabs saved my butt!

Materials:  Art Clay Silver, Silver filled wire, Sterling headpins, cubic zirconia, celestial crystal, faux gold leaf paint, small gold and silver plated rounds (The horns), gold plated headpins, Snohomish River Jasper, Crazy Lace Agate.

EDIT:  And I'm probably going to have Peter take some better photos when he gets home from work.

Better pictures, I took these this afternoon and used these for the submission.

Here's the latest made with Purple Burro Creek cut by Gina. 

Dentalium shells, Black star of India, Celestial crystal, Sterling tube bail, Czech and Japanese seed beads, pewter, dyed quartz...

Amanda you have the "Midas touch" with beads.......WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't, will not, even try to comprehend how to do what you do to achieve amazing "craftsmanship" results.

39don

Do you just have all this stuff laying around then zip it all together like superwoman? I would love to watch you make one of these because I can not get my brain around how you do it. I would have stuff scattered from here to next week and wear out three pair of tweezers with nothing to show for my efforts.

Do you have any way to make a video?
Jim

I'm up with insomnia so I'll answer this...
I've never tried making a video.  Truthfully not sure anyone wants to watch a video that is 8 hours long - which is about how long it took me to make this particular piece.

Wyrock - No tweezers involved.  It's simply Nymo or Fireline beading thread, a beading needle and the beads and whole lot of patience!

I typically do not draw out my designs ahead of time.  I will look at a cab and it just tells me how it wants to be beaded.   dunno28  Sometimes the design morphs as I work on it, other elements being incorporated.  For instance on this piece the dentalium shells were an add in.  The original idea in my head did not contain them.  When I work on a stone I follow what it's saying to me.  Yes stones speak to me.  It's rather weird - no words are exchanged but it's like this vision just suddenly "pops" into my head and I feel this compulsion to create it.

I do indeed have a vast and ever-growing collection of beads.  If I am at a show or at a store and a string of beads calls to me, there's a good chance I'll be purchasing it.  As my Husband found out at Quartzite - beads and cabs and me are a deadly mix to the budget.  Now that I have the rest of my studio at my command as my Parents brought it with them in my car when they drove here for my wedding last week - I now have much more at my fingertips.  I've been known to sit down with a stone that is speaking to me and go through several caddies full of beads looking for just that right bead to complement the stone as I see it in the vision in my head.

Yes this takes some skill, but it's not unattainable to anyone.  It just takes practice.  Bead embroidery is not some secret artform.  If you can thread a beading needle and know a few basic stitches, it's fairly easy.  I taught myself using books, and studying images of work others had created.  The hardest part was finding a good diagram to teach myself how to stitch a peyote bezel around stones.  Once I found that I was home free.  I used just a small number of stitches in this piece - peyote, back stitch, stop stitch, and brick stitch.  All of which can be found diagrammed in books.

That's about the only explanation I have.   dunno28

Much need update and of course, a sneak peak!!   

Progress on my next FMG contest entry.

The first two I really, really like.

Thanks for showing your finished pieces Amanda...your designs is awsome, always great to see your creations yippie24

Thanks Daniel!  That last piece is a work in progress.  No where's near finished.  I'm hoping to get it done soon.  yes16

It's looking good Amanda............

39don

...and done by the deadline for the FMG contest and officially submitted at 8PM Pacific time when due by midnight...

Pretty impressive Amanda it looks like a piece made for a Mayan goddess.

Please don't go swimming while wearing that one!

Thanks John.  No worries, my jewelry isn't designed to enhance swimwear.   saved12
It's big enough I may add that it covers most of my chest.

Sweet! I really love your pieces. Waiting for your tutorials now!

You'll be waiting for a long while as a tutorial on bead embroidery would be difficult to post unless I had some serious image space etc to put up.  There are actually plenty of books out there that describe how to do bead embroidery.  I suggest doing a search for "bead embroidery" on Amazon.com in the books section.  Warning - you will get overwhelmed at the search results!

Now a tutorial on metal clay, polymer clay or wire might be doable.  Depends on what I'm doing!

Great design idea. And as usual, very well executed.

I cant imagine the countless hrs you put into one of your designs. Beautiful! Have you done any with turq added into your pieces?

This piece was about 40 hours...

Turq??  You mean turquoise???

I did a piece last year for Krystee with a cab of turquoise she had cut if that is what your asking.

Was this the one? If not, the Loomed pendant of Turquoise, Feathers and Dentalium Shells is Outstanding. yes16
Your bead designs are very original much like The First Nations people do.

Ahh that one.  That was posted a few months ago.   yes16
Thank you for the comment.  I do tend to lean towards more Native designs as I do have some Native American blood in me, though small in amount from about 9 or 10 generations ago on my Mom's side.  The only evidence left in the Geneology of this ancestor is one of the old tin type photos dated to 1843 out of eastern Canada and the caption on the bottom is "Grandmah Moon, Age 80."  Yes they spelled Grandma with an h on the photo.  Any other information has been hard to find with most of the family's written history destroyed in a fire that decimated the family farm outside of Toronto before WWI.  Rumor has it there was a Family Bible destroyed in the blaze that had the family tree in it going back several generations to overseas in Ireland and Scotland and it included all the family information of who married who and where they were from etc.  With that kind of informational loss it's been really darn hard to pinpoint even what tribal affiliation my ancestor was from.  We've narrowed it down a bit to either Micmac, Algonquin, Iroquois, or Cree - all of which had a presence in parts of Eastern Canada at the time due to population movements from people being forced from their land by European settlers.

The one thing finding that tin type photo managed to prove however was why a whole lot of people on Mom's side of the family up until just a couple generations ago had straight jet black hair.  That's one population trait that you don't find occurring to heavily in families of European descent.  That photo answered a lot of questions, while also creating a heck of a lot more.  For example I have some genetic traits that cause a predisposition for diabetes, and these genetic traits are most prevalent in African, Asian and Native American populations.  The photo gave a good explanation of WHY I have those traits.

Wow...I just typed a volume.  Insomnia really does do weird things to a person!

Somehow i missed this one.  Great work. I forget what FMG stands for, oh wait, Fire Mountain G something.

Your pieces are works of art and i am in awe of how much time and effort you put into each piece.  I think of a lot of work as being one small part of one of your pieces, let alone the whole piece.

Mark

Thanks MArk.
Yes there is a lot of work into every segment of the piece.  Bezeling the central agate that Krystee cut was at least a four hour run of time between the actual bezel and then bezel decoration. 

The amount of time I put into these pieces is one of the reasons why I cannot understand the price disparity online on selling venues between European beaders and American/Canadian beaders.  Folks in Europe are posting pieces for sale at prices I couldn't even make them for!  I don't know if they get their materials for cheaper than dirt or if they aren't charging for their time or what... But when a piece similar to some of my stuff will sell for $90 when I'd be charging close to $300 for something similar, I have to wonder...

Incidentally with the materials and time into the piece above, I'd probably sell it for close to $900 - $1000 if I were to sell it.  Krystee gave me that central stone as a gift, so unless I need the money to eat, I won't be selling it.

This is a interesting story you bring up regarding your past. I live in central Alberta where the largest First Nations population is in Canada, and have a pretty good grasp on the history and spiritual ways of the people. My wife is Cree but her grandfather gave up there treaty rights not to be branded as a savage as they labeled you in those times but the family is large out here.
The place I live in is on reservation land that is leased from one of the 3 bands that surround me. The towns name is Wetaskiwin and in Cree means a place of peace. The legend is two tribes were at war with each other and that it had gone on for years with  many brave warriors lost, eventually a meeting was to take place on the highest hill that overlooked the entire area to settle a truce between the two tribes and this was the place the truce came about. "cool"
You mentioned "Grandmother Moon" and I have heard it spoken or referred to as one of the spiritual elder women. A lot of the First nations culture refer her as a person of great knowledge and teachings.
Historically, many nations were women-centered and matrilineal, meaning a child’s ancestry was traced through her mother, and the family property was passed down through the female line, from mothers to daughters to granddaughters. In some cases, this was also true of family names. In many nations, not only did a woman own the land, she owned the dwelling her family lived in.  These societal factors are a testimony to the power and influence women held in traditional Aboriginal society.
It seems your grandmother is showing your ancestry by coming out in some of your designs.

Rockrangers that was very informative.  Thank you!  yes16
I'll have to pass that along to my Mom next time I speak with her.  She'll be delighted to hear that.
With all the research I've done and others in my extended family have done, we've never been able to figure out who our Native Ancestor was married to.  We know several of the men on the family tree remarried a few times having lost wives in childbirth or to illness, so it's possible she was married to one of those male ancestors and we don't know it.  Sadly trying to trace Native heritage is hard because records were not well kept in the 18th and 19th centuries and in that time the Native groups moved around quite a bit due to pressure from settlers and governments.  The one person from Mom's side of the family who lives in Canada and was doing extensive research put the research down a couple years ago after years of scouring town records etc as she was diagnosed with alzheimers and put on treatment for it.  We may never know where our ancestor fits into the tree. 

I would like to believe that my ancestor would be proud of my work in keeping my heritage alive.

Any time!
Kinda sad your not able to get her native family last name. It would be a key to many questions. shucks1

It is sad.  I agree.  I'd be happy with at least knowing a last name, clan name, or even the group she was from.

Good luck Amanda in the FMG contest.  You have my vote, your necklace is stunning and so different.

Thanks Helene!   yes16

Tlaloc - Aztec god of Rain and Thunder.
Here is my drawing that is roughly a bit larger than the piece I am about to embark on for the next FMG contest entry.  This will be the focal, and then to either side I will have the feathered Serpents of Quetzalcoatl making up the necklace portion.

I drew this from looking at archaeological images of Tlaloc on Google.  This was taken from an image that came up a lot on Google of Tlaloc's effigy on offering pots found at archaeological digs in Tenochtitlan (Now Mexico City) at the Temple of the Sun.

What to me is fascinating is in every image I came across of Tlaloc in the headdress are these tiny details that look like cotter pins.  I have them penciled in on the headdress with a few simple lines.

Tlaloc's face of course is an oddity of itself.  His nose, lips and eyes are supposedly made of serpents.  I don't have the serpent detail drawn in on this rough image, but that will come with the actual piece.  I have two 8mm round faux opals on order with FMG to create the center of his eyes.  The squares to either side of his face are actually ear spools.  Ear spools are found on imagery of Kings, Priests, Priestesses, Nobility and gods in Meso-American and South American Native Cultures.  The common people did not wear ear spools - these were purely symbols of status.

Tlaloc is typically pictured with greenish skin.  Most of the effigy pots I looked at have him with skin that was some shade of green to turquoise with the serpents in turquoise or blue.  The most common images showed him with only two fangs, but some images of more ornate detail show him with up to eight fangs protruding from his mouth.  For ease of manufacture, I'm sticking with two fangs.

I have to do a bit more research but so far I have no idea what the two gold disks are to either side of his mouth.  Could be cheek piercings or something related to his headdress. 

Ok this was sitting unfinished on my bench for a while.  I'm trying to play catchup on unfinished projects and commissions!

So here is the Kippah and Tallit set I will wear for High Holy Days this year.

Indonesian Fossil Coral and a variety of Czech, Chinese and Japanese Glass beads.

And here is Helene's Commission...
Helene, let me know if you want anything changed before I ship these.  PM me with your address.

These are using beads Helene cut herself to go with a necklace I made her early last year.

Those latest entries are wonderful.  You've been much more productive than I........Keep it up....................

Thanks Steve.  More to come as I work on the next FMG piece and the commission for Lonelygems.

Amanda what you did is about as perfect as you can get.  I'm flabbergasted at what you have done with the stones.  That you made them is even more special.

Thank you.   saved18

You are very welcome Helene!   saved18

Wow, you have accomplished SO much this year with your amazing work, moves and marriage!!!  Absolutely fantastic as always and I can't wait to see you take the win this year!!!  yippie24

Thanks Krystee!  It would be awesome to have one of your stones make it to finals in one of my pieces!

OK early last year Daniel and I discussed a trade.  I got gorgeous Pancawarna cabs and he in turn would get a beautiful piece bead embroidered for his wife.

Well the trade finally came to fruition.  A month ago I got a bunch of truly gorgeous Pancawarna cabs and then tonight I finally finished the commission piece.

Daniel, when you see this I need your mailing address!

Another lucky recipient of your work.  You bring sunshine every-time you make a piece.

Helene I'm blushing! 
Thank you though.   yes16

Hi, Enchantra, I am enjoying seeing your beautiful beadwork/art clay creations!  I really like that your heritage plays a big role in your designs.

How do the cabochons stay in place in your beaded works? 

The one you created for Daniel's wife is my favorite, but they are all superb pieces!! 

After seeing your art clay silver pieces, I feel a (whole lot) intimidated in getting started and I wouldn't dare try working with the beads.  Your pieces are fantastic! yes16 yes16

 

 

Jan...
Nothing to be intimidated by.  I taught myself through books and websites.  I never took a single class.  Learning to bead, learning to use the Metal clay is a lot easier than most folks think it is.  It's a matter of being willing to take the time to research and read.  That's all it takes.  That and being willing to experiment.

The biggest hurdle to overcome with the metal clay is the initial expenses of investing in the right firing equipment and tools along with the clay as it's pricey.  Once you're over that hurdle it's simply a matter of replenishing your metal clay as you use it up.

Beads - well they are an addiction, but in the grand scheme of things, if I have to be addicted to something, let's make it beads.  Beads don't cause altered states of consciousness or make you crazy or even send you to the hospital.  Beads are a hell of a lot cheaper than regular mental therapy.

The cabs in my beaded works are adhered to a backing material using E6000 - this means once that is cured they are not going anywhere.  After the adhesive has cured I do my beading.  In the odd chance I'm beading on leather or suede I adhere the cab to felt with E6000, let it cure, do my work etc, then take the piece and glue it to the suede/leather using washable fabric glue so if a person sweats or something gets wet the piece won't come apart.  E6000 won't work on leather or suede, but the fabric glue holds it firmly.  I don't use some of the other glues folks say to use because over time they can break down.  There is nothing worse than doing a piece and a couple years later having the stone fall out on you because the adhesive deteriorated.  I've experimented and E6000 works the best for me.  GOOP works as well and is essentially the same stuff by the same manufacturer - smells just as bad too, use with adequate ventilation!

Right now I'm teaching Gina how to do beadwork.  She could probably tell you that it really isn't as hard as it looks.  I think her biggest frustration is the thread wanting to knot up!  We wax the thread too and now and then we still get knots.  Knots and beadwork go hand in hand like aphids on roses.

There are several questions I have concerning firing the metal clay (methods, etc...) and wondered where to ask on the forum?   



ROFL!

Thank you for sharing with us your beading technique!  I think it is beautiful and I hope to learn how to bead. 


I hope to see some of Gina's creations.  It is awesome that you are teaching her how to do beadwork.

Thank you, Amanda!  ura12 

Since we're dealing with precious metals, silver being the primary one I would ask in the silversmithing area.  If enough folks show interest I might designate a section for metal clay creations.


You are welcome.   yes16
I'm sure Gina will post her stuff here now and then.   yes16

A lot of hours and patience for that result! Really good job, I do admire the skill.

Thank you!
 yes16

This piece is for Imakedust (Shiela).
She sent me this cab to get my opinion on it.
I decided it had to go back to her as a beautiful beaded pendant.

So Sheila - as soon as I find a moment where I feel well enough to wander to the post office, this one is coming your direction! 

OK Y'all...
Here are some sneak peaks at the next FMG entry due in 6 days that I'm furiously working on....
Tlaloc Aztec god of rain and water.

Chrysocolla Cabochons by our own imakedust (Sheila)!

O my gosh Amanda! That is sooooooooo coool :)
My favorite part so far (as I'm sure the completed piece will be amazing) is the way you did the nose on that face :) I love it!

Thanks!  Tlaloc's face is according to legend composed of serpents, His eyes are surrounded by serpents, his nose and facial features and lips are serpents.  I did mine to look like several pieces that have been found in archaeological digs.  Yeah a bit of research has gone into this beastie.   yes16

That is what makes your work so good! You pay attention to the details :)

Would love to see the finished pieces!
It already looks really nice, what imagination you have!

Thanks Sheila!
Yeah I have been told I'm a hair anal retentive in the detail department - just ask my Husband!   yes16 chuckle02
Mind you he's the one giving me the gentle push to get MORE detailed over and above what I typically do. 

Updated Tlaloc...

This part is at least done.  Just have to add the feathers to the headdress later.

That little guy is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out there.  yes16 yes16 yes16

Love it...him??????????

39don

Thanks Don!

Yeah he's a bit different than my standard piece isn't he?  I've been wanting to make a necklace with an Aztec god for a while now.  This contest gave me an excuse to make it.   yes16

Haha!  It's finished.

Tlaloc, Quetalcoatl both in their glory.

Materials:  Premo Sculpey, Acrylic paint, Gilder's paste, bronze wire, feathers, jump rings.
Chrysocolla cabs by our own Sheila!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Outta Sight Amanda, Just Awesome............... clapper clapper shocked30

You have made Sheila's cabs bring out the best in your design....... hatsoff14 hatsoff14

39don

Thanks Don!  Now to just submit it online.  I found out today they extended the deadline till July 7th.  But I'm submitting it tonight so it's done and over with.   yes16

Wow!
That is amazing! and a lot of detail :)
If you don't win, then the judges are blind!

Thanks Sheila!  You're stones however do help complete the picture  yes16
Couldn't have done it without your help there.   yes16

I submitted the piece last night.  So I'm DONE!

Wish you luck, but don't think you need it! This is an awesome piece!!! dancer27

Thanks.   yes16

 shocked30 ..... shocked30 .....  shocked30 .....  shocked30 ..... did I say....  shocked30 ?

Wow, the details...and those EYES ... just bore right into you!

Thanks Mehoose.  The eyes are faux opal cabs I bought through FMG.  yes16

FMG...?  dunno28

Fire Mountain Gems.

Aha! Ta muchly.

Thank you Amanda!
This is such a beautiful necklace, I thought I should show it off being worn
(https://gemstone.smfforfree4.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.auctionzealot.com%2Fmembers%2Fimakedust%2Fdscn1393.jpg&hash=f115dc989312092bcfacff7f48f3ceaa)
by my daughter :)
You do wonderful work! Thanks again :)

Thanks Sheila!  Your daughter looks lovely wearing it!   yippie24
I'm so glad you love it.   yes16

It's not every piece of jewelry that makes her smile like that :)

I'm having one of those days where bead therapy is in order.
Work in progress shot of a pair of earrings.

Trying to get back into the swing of things after a move and some bouts with illness.
This is for Mom's birthday next month.

Sterling Celtic knot focal cast by my friend Gina.
Kambaba Jasper, Czech Firepolished glass, Silver plated pewter beads.

Enjoy.  yes16