AHH, SPRING!
Ahh, spring, and a young man’s thoughts turn to…jewelry! Actually, my thoughts pretty much always turn to jewelry. I’m forever looking for inspiration for a new piece or technique. I’m draw to uniqueness, whether in jewelry, painting, sculpture, or nature itself.
We always think of Spring as the season of new life, new beginnings, just like we think of the new year as a time of fresh starts. While all of this it true, these dates and times are really just markers we’ve collectively made up to help us with the passage of time. In reality, every day is a new beginning; every day is a fresh start. When you start to live your life with those thoughts in mind, you will have a more productive day, week, year, life.
Science has proven what the ancients have always known: “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.” In other words, seeing your glass as half full, not half empty will lengthen your life, make you healthier, and you will enjoy your days more.
What does that say to you? To me it says ‘do stuff you enjoy.’ For me, that’s making jewelry. I can get lost in it. It’s what’s called “flow” when you lose all track of time in an activity and you don’t care.
So where do you flow? What newness can you bring into your life today? The benefits are undeniable, incalculable, and will spill over into every area of your life and to those around you. So what are you waiting for? Start today, right now.
The Creative Process and Benefits of a Brilliant Spouse
The Creative Process and Benefits of a Brilliant Spouse My wife Roxanne is brilliant in so many ways. And for those of you who know her, I know you like her best. (“Hi Jeff. Is Roxanne here?”) This morning she says “I had a thought. What do you think?” Here’s her thought: “Seeking understanding can…
Crafting Beauty in Metal: My Journey Mastering the Art of Soldering
Crafting Beauty in Metal: My Journey Mastering the Art of Soldering Soldering, the age-old technique that breathes life into metal, has been a cornerstone of my artistic journey. In the realm of jewelry crafting, the dance of heat and metal becomes a language, and soldering, my chosen form of expression. I invite you to step…
Ancient Artistry in Modern Adornment: The Timeless History of Inlay Rings
Ancient Artistry in Modern Adornment: The Timeless History of Inlay Rings Inlay rings, a stunning jewelry style characterized by intricate designs crafted from various<br />materials embedded into metal bands, have a rich and fascinating history that dates back centuries. These exquisite rings showcase a combination of artistry, craftsmanship, and cultural significance, making them a timeless…
The Timeless Craft of SilverSmithing in Jewelry
The Timeless Craft of SilverSmithing in Jewelry When it comes to crafting exquisite jewelry, few techniques are as revered and timeless as silversmithing. This art form, which has been practiced for millennia, involves the transformation of silver into wearable works of art. Let’s explore the fascinating world of silversmithing and how it continues to captivate…
Trip To Loveland, Colorado
TRIP TO LOVELAND, COLORADO Here I am, joining the 21st century. Apparently, I’m the only person in the United States that doesn’t blog, so here we go. Mostly, what I intend to talk about will be related to jewelry and jewelry making. To get the ball rolling, I’ll tell you about my recent (last week)…
Baubles, Bangles and More Bangles
BAUBLES, BANGLES AND MORE BANGLES I love to make bangles. There are a lot of reasons for that. Each one is an individual piece of art yet they all work so well together. Bangles seem to be timeless. How many to wear or the thickness of each one changes with the whims of the fashion…
Don’t Fear The Flame
DON’T FEAR THE FLAME “I want to learn how to solder but I’m SO afraid of the torch!” I hear this all the time. Many artists that create beautiful, beaded creations want to go to the next level and learn to solder so that they can add pendants to their pieces. What’s holding them back?…
Fun With A Copper Cuff
FUN WITH A COPPER CUFF We had a fun time at the Bouncing Bead last Saturday making a copper cuff bracelet. Even though copper is a little harder to work with than silver, you can still get stunning results. This cuff is a copper overlay band sweat soldered, with a lace agate cabochon set on…
Success
SUCCESS I read a tongue-in-cheek article about someone who wanted to quit her “day job” and make her living with her jewelry designs. So far so good. I think that covers a lot of people. But then she had a list of things she wouldn’t be willing to do. She was shy, so she didn’t…
Plating Copper Jewelry
PLATING COPPER JEWELRY With the increase in popularity of copper in art jewelry making, you come up against the problem of soldering it. If you use silver solder, you have a silver line on your piece. If you use copper solder, you have a dirty silver line on your piece. Also, if you try any…
Porcelain Jasper Inlaid Cuff
PORCELAIN JASPER INLAID CUFF This is the cuff I made for the Beginning Inlay Video project. I’m very happy with it for a number of reasons. First, it’s always fun to have an idea in your head and when you finish the project, it looks WAY better than you ever could have imagined. Second, I…
Timeless Bolo Ties
TIMELESS BOLO TIES I’m really into bolo ties right now, probably for a lot of reasons. When I was a kid, my step-dad had all these fabulous bolo ties which he would wear just about everywhere. About the only place he wouldn’t wear one was to a formal event. (He would have, but my mom…
Filing Away At Life
FILING AWAY AT LIFE Whenever you are making jewelry, there is filing involved. You have to remove the unwanted material. I don’t love filing, and I don’t hate it. It’s just a part of jewelry making. Because I don’t love or hate it, I have tried to become very efficient at it so I can…
Hold On Loosely
HOLD ON LOOSELY I LOVE this ring! There are so many reasons why. First, it’s well-made and I know it will stand up under the daily wear and tear of a ring that you never take off. But beyond that, there are some deeper qualities that I want to talk about. Whenever I make a…
Windows
WINDOWS Windows come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, materials, colors and functions. Some windows open from the top, some the bottom. Some open sided to side and some don’t open at all. Windows can be made from vinyl, wood, steel, aluminum and even brass. Some have only one pane of glass, some many. Some…
Stuff vs Meaning
STUFF vs. MEANING “We don’t need more things, we need more meaning.” – anon As I was helping Roxanne clean out the back bedroom (it had become a catch-all after our middle son went off to college…10 years ago) I got to thinking about this saying. As we were trying to decide what to keep…
Impressions
IMPRESSIONS Chrysocolla & Sterling Silver Ring This ring is special to me for a lot of reasons. I was prevailed to be one of the first ‘complex’ metal projects for Step by Step Wire Magazine. They’re now defunct – I hope it wasn’t me… Moving on, another reason this is a special ring is the sum…
Jewelry As Art
JEWELRY AS ART We’ve all heard the saying “Art Imitates Life.” I think that’s a very true statement no matter what the art or what the medium. All art is really from nature and so as artists we’re really just trying to imitating the handiwork of God, the original artist. When jewelry is art, I…
Why I Make Jewelry
WHY I MAKE JEWELRY Periodically, I get asked why I make jewelry. That’s not a simple question. The answer is many-faceted. (Get it, ‘faceted’? Well, I thought it was funny.) Let me try to explain. First off, God made me to make things. I HAVE to! I’ve worked on everything from diamond rings to skyscrapers. I’ve made…
Ringing In Life
RINGING IN LIFE I was looking at this turquoise ring. I’ve seen literally thousands of turquoise rings, and I’ve made hundreds. Nothing special here, or is there? Every turquoise ring has a shank, a back plate, a stone and a setting. But each stone is completely unique, even stones from the same mine. Each setting,…
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