Make A Bracelet, Necklace and Earrings Like These!!!

Take my three Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning classes at The Gem Expo and learn the basic techniques to make the components for this style of bracelet -- or anklet or necklace -- and earrings. 

The richness comes from layering what are actually quite simple designs. Like just about anything, it's so easy once you know how -- and lots of practice, of course. In the classes, we'll break steps down to their component parts, discuss materials and tools and what they do, techniques and when and when not to use them. 

Learn to make any of these hammered designs on Saturday morning. (NOTE: the Saturday morning wire class is for experienced beginners.) Same hammering technique as in the bracelet above, but with different materials and different wire lengths you get totally different looks:

 

There's quite a different effect depending on which way the dangles are facing:

Who would think that pearls and copper would go together so well???

Come and play at The GEM EXPO/METAEXPO Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 27th, 28th & 29th at the Hyatt Regency, King Street, Toronto. Lots of great courses -- and you get free admission all three days with any 1-hour or longer paid course.

Can't make it this summer? We'll be back in November: Friday to Sunday, 9th, 10th and 11th.

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you next week!

March 2018 Gem Expo Classes will be posted soon!!!

The March 2018 Gem Expo is being held the last weekend of March Break, March 16th, 17th and 18th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, King Street in downtown Toronto: great timing for those looking for something fun for everyone from kids to grands to wrap up their vacation time away from school and work. Crystals, fossils, beads, finished jewellery, wire-work...

...we gotcha covered! PLUS there is the new Metaphysical Expo happening in the second ballroom. One admission gets you into both shows. Subscribe and get $2 off your admission. 

Here's a sneak peek at my three classes:

Friday Evening (Time TBA):

Aromatherapy Diffuser Bead Pendant and Earrings for Beginners

Just two possibilities to make in class. There will be a wide selection of lava bead sizes and colours, large and small pendants and dangles and bead caps to choose from as part of your kit fee. 

In this class you'll learn how to wrap beads to make your own aromatherapy diffuser pendant and earrings:

- make consistent wire loops and wraps, the proper way to open and close jump rings;

- accent your bead with bead caps to enrich the overall design

- how to attach your beads to earwires or necklace with jump rings

Saturday morning class (Time TBA):

Nifty Tips & Tricks for Wire Working for Experienced Beginners-Intermediate

Please note: this is NOT a suitable class for absolute beginners

In this class you'll learn to make your own wire findings easier, faster and more efficiently

- overview of wire types, temper, gauges, etc.;

- how to make consistent wire loops and wraps and troubleshoot difficulties;

- make your own earwires, plain and decorative headpins, connectors & dangles;

- bring questions!!!

Sunday morning class (Time TBA):

Totally Addicting Stretch Bracelets for Beginners+

Whatever you want to call them -- stretch, stacker, diffuser, healing, chakra or mala bracelets -- this is a great introduction to jewellery-making. Dress 'em up, dress 'em down, once you learn a few little tips and tricks you'll find the design possibilities are endless. Stretch bracelets make up quickly and just about anyone can make and wear them: they're easy to roll on and off with no pesky clasps to fiddle with. The only tools required are (sharp, pointy) scissors and occasionally pliers. 

You'll learn:

- tying and hiding a knot without using glue (& why you don't want to be using glue!);

- adjusting tension & sizing your bracelet to fit;

- easy and inexpensive ways to jazz up a plain bracelet by adding charms and/or spacers

NOTES ON TOOLS for most classes:

You'll notice you're asked to bring your own tools if you have them as instructors only have limited numbers of tools for participants to use. In general, these are the four basic tools anyone making jewellery will need at a bare minimum. Note that hardware store pliers and cutters do not work.  

L to R, bent nose pliers, flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters. 

It's always advisable to buy the best quality tools you can afford to save your hands from carpal tunnel and/or aggravating arthritis as well as make it way easier to manipulate wire. Those cute sets of tiny pliers you'll see in stores are meant for limited use when travelling or for kids' tiny hands. 

Hint to beginners: Subscribe to Michael's newsletter and whenever you're near a store pop in and use their daily 40% or 50% off coupon to buy something expensive -- tools!!! -- that rarely if ever go on sale. 

Sign up for classes early!!!

By subscribing to either The Gem Expo website or the MetaExpo website, you will receive notifcation when all of the classes are posted. Don't be disappointed! Sign up early as many in-demand classes have limited places and are fully booked a month before the show.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you at the March 2018 GEM EXPO and METAEXPO!!!

Yet More Stacker Bracelets...

New Year's came and went, and I am soooo confused. Today is definitely the 3rd of January -- it says so in the lower right of my computer. Remember the old days when you had to manually reset the date on January 1st and February 29th and when daylight saving began or ended? That was a long time ago in a land far away. I have to keep reminding myself that it's Sunday today, though perhaps Stunday is the better word.

I spent two days making bracelets with all the loot I got from Toronto, and of course I'm sitting here wishing I'd bought more of one type of beads, bought others rather than the ones I did buy... etc. As for the trip, Lacy Tools on Queen East closed -- months ago -- which I did not know. I never made it to the St. Lawrence Market, so no chocolate-covered ginger for me. And Lavish & Squalor has replaced skulls on everything with foxes!?!?!? Not cool. No Christmas presents for me. I'm so sad. Instead, I bought a big bag of howlite and copper-coated hematite skull beads from Hi Beads and I definitely should have bought more of the copper-coated ones.

Here is my New Year's weekend production. All are for sale, the prices are running $25 and under for this selection. Email me for availability as most are OOAK.

Made these New Year's Eve, was told they'd look better with the skulls alternating rather than in a band:

A comparison between the new alternating riverstone (whatever that is, possibly limestone?) and white howlite skull bracelet and the first iteration above:

I think you're right, Winter. Thanks!

Teensy howlite skull bracelets, white and parti-coloured B&W:

Shoulda bought more of these teensy skulls -- and more colours.

With this bracelet, I was trying to pick up the white & sand colours of the "terra" part of the acqua terra beads, and highlight the riverstone with pewter birds, but Ruth thought it didn't work, that it was too big of a jump.

This was kinda sorta her suggestion, to use a pinky-orange bead to represent sunrise/sunset, and to place it asymmetrically. I swapped out the lumpy birds with a turtle:

Trying here to stretch out my rapidly diminishing aqua terra beads with inexpensive dyed mystery stones, variations on a theme...

...and all which ended up kinda meh. If anyone has suggestions, please leave a comment,

Switched over to more skulls (copper-coated hematite & matte black obsidian)...

Lovelovelove the matte black obsidian and the blue titantium coated beads:

This isn't really doing it for me...

...but I like this one:

Really pleased with these!

All these bracelets will be available at the Woodstock Farmers Market on January 9th so come and check them out. I think out of all of these -- I see them with new eyes when they're photographed and put online -- I'll be continuing primarily with the last style of bracelets, at least until I run out of the black, which is going to be quite soon. Guess that means another pesky trip to Toronto goofing off with Ruth.

Thanks for stopping by!

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation...

Some people lolled on beaches all week. In my usual fashion, after procrastinating most of the week, I finally buckled down and starting making jewellery on the 23rd for the last market day before Christmas.

One of the perks was walking into the market on the 24th to an almost-set-up table at 4:57 a.m.

While at the market, I had plenty of time to play...

...and sell. Who woulda thunk that rhinestones and bone skulls would go so perfectly together?

I did surprisingly well for the day before Christmas, considering most people dash in for their turkeys, vegetables, pies, candles, chocolates and flowers -- everything it seems but jewellery -- and immediately dash outta there to the malls to do final shopping. Me, I dashed off to the bank and then to the Charles Dickens Pub for an incredibly good ooey, gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Four cheeses on it, something like that, including Gunn Hill, which is located about one or two kilometres south of me here in the wilderness of Southern Ontario.

Christmas Day I finally got off the desktop and into the other room to make jewellery and binge watch Death in Paradise on my laptop which has external speakers.

I made all of these in two days...

Alas, the triple wrap bracelet above has sold already, but I'm getting more leather and beads in so I can make lots more of these.

Please email me for details on any of the above bracelets. I still have lots, and while some are one of a kind, some styles I have sufficient beads that I can make more, and I can always adjust the size up or down to fit you perfectly. Email me here.

I hope everyone was able to spend time with family and friends or, like me, hunkered down in restorative peace and quiet. Thanks for looking!

Glass Pearl & Rhinestone Rondelle Stretch Bracelets...

Hah -- I started making the first one, intending these to be quick, inexpensive items for the sale tomorrow at the OCAR Fundraiser, showed them to a pal who likes bling and she ordered five plus earrings. Used up all the glass pearls I'd got from a vintage necklace. Her Christmas shopping is done, but now I have to scramble to make more bracelets for the show.

Better get at, we start setting up at 6 tonight.

Thanks for looking!