The Bead Dreamer's Blog

To quote the talented Marlene True – “Tin is in and good as gold.”  And she’s right.  Tin is a great resource for jewelry making.  It can be cut, filed, and drilled using regular jeweler’s tools.  Tin that is painted cannot be heated without affecting the paint, but it can be attached using rivets and tabs – probably other ways as well. 

This necklace was made using a piece of tin I have had for a while.  I kept it because it was pretty, figuring I’d find a use for it someday.  That day finally came and I love the resulting necklace.  I cut a section out that had a lovely flowering tree motif and then cut a second larger piece out of nickle silver for the backing.  I textured the backing piece, drilled holes where needed and riveted the two together.  I still have some of the tin left, so who knows – you may see it crop up in other pieces.

I’ve mentioned that I was working with tin to some friends, and they all smiled and said they had some stashed away in a closet, or the garage, or wherever.  They’ve made donations, happy to see a use for the items.  As a result, my tin stash is growing and I’m excited about working with more of it.

There are times when I look at a design I am in the process of creating and realize it is way too busy.  When that happens, there are a couple of approaches I can take to calm the piece down.

• Introduce Neutrals.  Black can work particularly well.  As can metal beads in silver, gold, or copper tones.
• Increase repetition.   Choose one (or more) of the quieter beads in the piece and use more of them.
• Separate things.  Insert little seed beads between the larger beads –more than one may be needed.  Or, use knotting or crimp beads and let some of the beading wire create a restful space at intervals.

This necklace had that challenge as I worked on it.  I set the little fish buttons in sterling silver using small tabs to minimize the amount of setting that was visible.  I think the stripes in the top fish, the presence both a horizontal and vertical element, as well as motion in the pendant combined to then require a necklace that was interesting but also quiet enough to allow the pendant to be the focal point.  This necklace – took all three techniques.

After my first attempt at tab settings, I wanted to explore it more, try setting different objects, play a little.  Here are the next few attempts from my experimentation.  I set the triangular button first – still a little bit hesitant.  Then I set the triangular pottery shard.  This particular piece reminds me of the architecture of Mali which I find to be beautiful.  I got bolder and made the piece with the little leaves holding a ceramic tile. 

Then I really went for it and tried setting another found object, a rather thick piece of something…  Maybe ceramic, I’m not sure, but I loved it.  This piece has a double setting.  I cut a small base with three tabs.  I then soldered the small base onto another base that I textured.  I drilled holes for the dangles and top jump ring.  I did two settings so I could have uninterrupted space along the bottom for the holes.  If I had cut the tab out of it, I felt the gap would feel awkward, especially in a piece with so many soft edges.  The dangles, I enjoyed and just had fun there.

All of the settings are copper.  The dark ones were given their dark patina with liver of sulphur.  Funky name, but it does great stuff.

Today was a tough day in the studio.  I had problems, things didn’t work out, I hit the wall here and there.  I left tired, frustrated, but still determined.   For each problem or mistake, I was able to understand what I did wrong and what to do differently next time.

Tough days in the studio are just that – tough.  Whether it’s broken saw blades, stuff melted at the torch, pieces worked to fit together that just don’t, ideas that seem brilliant at the time and just don’t pan out.  No matter what medium you work in, there are days like this.  Truth is, maybe if they don’t happen here and there, one is not spending enough time at the boundaries.  Today I did, stuff broke and messed up all day.  I learned from it.  I will show up at the bench again tomorrow.

I try to think ahead a few months when planning the jewelry I will be working on (in a general sense) and ordering beads and other components.  For the remainder of this year, I have a schedule I adhere to (mostly) when it comes to restocking the stores that carry my jewelry.  I am also planning one show this fall thus far – Hampton’s Bay Days – a large festival in Hampton, VA in September.  I also start thinking about fall and the holidays, planning for adequate levels of inventory and any trunk shows or other events I might participate in.

I have also begun to incorporate some of the contests and calls for entries that tend to occur annually as I have a goal of entering more of these events as a way to continue growing as an artist.  As artisans and craftspeople, we have to don many hats.  I know I prefer keeping the creative hat on, but sometimes the business and planning hats are necessary to keep my jewelry business running smoothly.  I’ll get back to the fun stuff soon enough.