Re-opening for now...

Hi folks,

Most of you are probably already aware of this, but I happen to have another "part time job."  That is, I'm a reservist.  As part of that gig, I had orders to leave for Afghanistan this weekend.  But with current events being what they are, my orders got cancelled, which is a very good thing because my husband is due to rotate this summer... and while the intent was to stay in Hawaii, the lovely Navy found him a job in Virginia.  So we'll be moving to Hampton Roads this summer.

Meanwhile, we're prepping this house to be rented, trying to convince my tenants in Virginia Beach to leave, finding schools for the kids, and I'm looking for another job.  As you can imagine, it's a little crazy.  

I had actually put the shop in "vacation mode," which is Etsy speak for closing temporarily, in preparation for my mobilization, however, I decided to reopen to see how much inventory we could get rid of before moving.  Unfortunately, I just don't have time for custom orders or special trips to the post office so for now I'm suspending my hand made sterling rings and international orders.  Hopefully the transition will be easy enough that once we've set up shop in Virginia, I'll be able to resume both services.

Anyway, thanks for your support and for bearing with the constant roller coaster that is my life!  ;)

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Silversmithing Class Review

Hi folks, I know it's been a while.  The holiday season is always packed- I haven't even addressed my Christmas cards yet!  But I wanted to take a quick minute to talk about a 2 day silversmithing class I took at Bead It! Kailua.  They brought in a "guest" instructor from the Mainland, which was a real treat since more or less everyone in Hawaii learns their skills and techniques from one of two primary bead stores.  So anyway, his style was totally different than what you typically find among the local artisan jewelers, and therefore, interesting enough for me to take a couple of days off of work.

I wasn't really sure what to expect.  This is the most expensive class I've taken thus far.  (Maybe that's why I was the youngest student in the class?  Might also have to do with the fact that the instructor's style is a native American style, which tends to be bigger and very ornate compared to the "local" jewelry styles.)  When I looked around and all the other students were my mother's age, I thought maybe I was in the wrong place.  But I have to tell you, now that I've completed the class, I think that it was a GREAT deal to get that much instruction and information.


Some of the students had no previous experience, others had taken several classes.  One lady used to carve stones, which I thought was really cool.  I have some experience soldering and fusing, but only on very small projects like toe rings and making my own simple charms and links.  Here are some photos of what I learned... after two days (17 hours total) of instruction:

We learned how to make a bezel, rope, silver balls, and how to solder all of that (and sterling charms) without losing definition or detail.  Then we learned how to set cabochons and also how to use a dremel to trim and polish.  (Obviously, the crystal flatback is NOT an element normally found in a Native American motif, but I couldn't resist adding a touch of bling!)

David, the instructor, had his hands full with all of us constantly asking questions, but he answered all of them while making sure we didn't burn ourselves, each other, or Bead It! down to the ground.  There is a lot of science and math behind silversmithing.  Not to mention, there are many ways to approach a project.  Everyone figures out what works for them.  Not everyone is good at teaching those techniques to others.   There were actually 3 classes scheduled, more or less back to back.  I cannot believe this guy travels as far as he does, spends 8-10 hours a day setting up, teaching, and cleaning up, and doesn't fall over from exhaustion.  I worked my butt off to make this ONE piece and I was so tired!

We all had a LOT of supervision but also the opportunity to practice different techniques multiple times.  I am confident that I can continue to do this type of work on my own!  Not bad after just 2 days, right?

Of course, that doesn't mean my first attempt was perfect by any stretch of the imagination.  I kind of mangled the back on this one with the dremel when I was supposed to be grinding down the excess silver on the back side...  This is what happens when you are in a rush- I had to wait for a tool and was rushing to catch up with everyone else, then I accidentally skipped the dremel across the back. Fortunately, the texture hides most of it.  I love that multi-face texturing hammer... One of the best things about a class like this is trying out all the other tools without having to buy them first!  The hardest part is not buying EVERYTHING.  You could easily drop a couple thousand dollars on tools, but you don't need to.  I didn't get the texturing hammer but I did get a really cool lazy susan soldering board and upgraded to a larger torch, which can also be used to make bangles.

We also had a chance to make some earrings.  I couldn't decide whether or not to make these into links or rings instead, so I set and polished the stones, and left the wires unfinished for the time being.

Let me tell you, I sure did develop an appreciation for the work that goes into these pieces, even if it's not my typical style!!!  The techniques I learned will definitely help me make things that ARE my style!  Oh, and I would definitely wear this, in case you were wondering.

And if you're interested in finding a session near you, here's the website:  http://silversmithingclass.com/

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Beach Combing, Sea Glass, and Wire Wrapping

My mom and grandma (her mom) went beach combing for me a couple of weeks ago, and came back with almost a gallon of beach glass. I guess it helps to know where to go because there is NOWHERE on Oahu where you could pick up this kind of glass in only half an hour.  (Yes, the colors really are that bright, but they did sort the glass by color.)

Here are some of the larger pieces my son found.  Too large for jewelry but supercool for collectors.

Naturally, I had to make SOMETHING out of the beach glass... (you seem shocked!)  Rather than mess with drilling holes in the glass (many of these pieces are VERY thick and old), I decided to make some simple pendants... some are wire-wrapped, and others have a glued on bail.  Each is truly one of a kind and quite beautiful, don't you think?  Just goes to show you that one man's trash is a crafty woman's treasure!

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Some Cute Christmas Tree Earrings...

Ok, now that the turkey is put away, it's time to get your Christmas on!!!

Here's a classic little design that makes a great stocking stuffer or co-worker gift.

Make it easy on yourself- don't you have enough to do already?

 

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Nice Girl Notes Cute Stuff Sale: PREVIEW

So, what all is up for sale on today's Nice Girl Notes Cute Stuff Sale?  You'll have like her on Facebook to get the special prices, though.  Trust me, it'll be worth your time- there are all sorts of cool things from hair clippies to sweets, scarves, gloves, kid's organizers, and all sorts of handmade goodness up for grabs!

Gray double wrap bracelet by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $20.25.

"Love" Resin Necklace by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $18.  

"Blue Starfish" Resin Necklace by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $18.25. 

"Koi" Resin Necklace by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $18.

Purple triple wrap bracelet by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $25.25

Lilac Kumihimo & Bali Silver bracelet by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $78.  

TWO PAIRS Snowman Earrings by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $21.

TWO PAIRS Angel Earrings by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $21.

Large Puffy Heart Wine Stem Charms by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $18.

Medium Heart Wine Stem Charms by Simply Leilani.  Original price, $18.

 

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Precious Metal Pricing and Keeping Jewelry Costs Down

The price of precious metals is just crazy these days.  When I look through my stash of supplies it amazes me to see prices have nearly doubled in the handful of years that I've been beading.  Unfortunately that means the price of the finished pieces has to go up as well.  So how do you deal with that as a microbusiness?

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of other shops on Etsy love base metals- copper, brass, etc... there is a lot you can do with them because they are softer and very economical.  Not to mention, the mixed metal look is really cool.  But personally, I am not too into the clunky look.  I like dainty and understated- stuff I can wear to work without looking like a gypsy or a Twilight-fanatic.  Still, these are fun to make and they sure do take well to metal stamping.

Another thing I did was experiment with using natural and upcycled or recycled components.   Finding glass, shells and sand on the beach is free and in Hawaii, you can take small amounts considered "personal" use amounts.  I never take a living creature from the ocean and limit the rest of what I take to a handful or so.  That works well for casual pieces, but shells are particularly challenging to work with because the tiny ones are so delicate.  The larger ones are hard to find in good shape.  So I would be able to offer fewer items and increase the markup.   No bueno- well, not in and of itself, anyway.

The third thing I tried to do was focus on making simpler, more classic pieces that will last more than one season.  This is pretty easy for me since I like delicate, dainty, understated jewelry.  If there are multiple colors, there is a pattern.  Maybe it's my inner nerd.  Kumihimo bracelets are especially satisfying in that way- you have to string ALL the beads first, then weave them, so it's a challenge to figure out which colors should go on which cord to get the desired effect.  While I guess one could argue that a bracelet made of 300 Swarovski crystals is not understated or subtle, I sure do get a lot of compliments on them.

Finally, every crafter has that bag of unfinished projects.  I went in and started sorting them out- pieces to finish, pieces to "frog" (cut apart), pieces to give away, pieces to throw away.  I was able to salvage probably a couple hundred dollars worth of supplies and merchandise by taking one rainy Sunday afternoon to do nothing but deconstruct and organize.  Not to mention, upon organizing my supplies, I now have a much better idea of what to buy and what not to reorder.  For example, I found three times as many 1" sterling headpins as I thought I had.  The following weekend, I organized supplies by types of projects so I can sit and crank them out without rummaging through the rest of the stuff I just put away neatly and wrecking all that hard work.

So if you're like me and trying to do more with less, here it is in a nutshell:

• Look for alternative materials to work with that are cheaper to purchase
• Use found or recycled items 
• Create simple, clean designs that will last more than one season
• Use what you already have

Hope that helps!  

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Tumble Polished Silver

When I was a kid, my brother ordered a kiddie rock tumbler out of a catalog. It had a plastic drum and a REALLY loud motor. It ran for over a week in the carport, making tons of noise and not doing the world's best job at polishing the rough stones. That experience more or less turned me off of the idea of using a tumbler in my jewelry making. I used to handpolish my pieces... until I took a class at the local bead store and saw what came out of the tumbler after only a few minutes. Tumbling not only polishes, but also work hardens and de-burs (smooths anything tiny and sharp) pieces with MUCH LESS effort than hand polishing.

After doing some research, I settled on a Lortone 3A. The motor is relatively quiet for the price and the rubber barrel helps greatly by muffling noise and also providing a soft surface that doesn't scratch the metal. The tumbler is rated to 3 pounds, which includes whatever you use to tumble/polish the stuff you add in. For fine silver, I use 2 pounds of steel shot. Then I add enough water to cover the shot plus about an inch or so higher, add a couple drops of Dawn detergent, the plop the pieces in. The Lortone has a 2 piece lid, and no on/off switch you you should seal up the barrel first, then plug it in. You don't want to run the motor with no load for extended periods of time. (That's actually worse for the motor than overloading the barrel.)

Most people tumble their pieces for 15-30 minutes.  If all you need is a quick polish and work hardening of more delicate pieces, 15 minutes is usually sufficient.  If your piece is larger or heavily hammered with sharp edges, then you want to let them tumble for 20-30 minutes.

For pieces with chains, you probably want to tumble them separately from other pieces... just to avoid tangling.

You can also use the tumbler to help get that contrast on textured/stamped pieces by oxidizing first, then tumbling...but you definitely don't want to "over tumble" in that case and remove too much of the oxidation.  The resulting piece looks much more natural than smashing an indelible ink pen in the cracks and using a polishing cloth with some rubbing alcohol to remove the ink from the surface.

But, I digress.  Here are some of the things I've tumbled recently.  Oh, and before I forget, you should never dump the contents of the barrel directly down the drain.  Always use a colander to catch the steel shot and jewelry... and I run the water through a coffee filter before I let it go down the sink to catch any slurry or other small chunks of metal.  The steel shot and jewelry should be rinsed with fresh water to prevent a soapy film from drying on your pieces.

There are competing schools of thought on how to store your steel shot once you're done.  The issue is preventing rust.  So anyway, some folks think you should store your shot in a jar covered with water or oil to prevent exposure to oxygen (and therefore prevent oxidation).  The other theory is that you dry your steel shot out really well and put it in a ziploc bag or other air tight container.  I live in an extremely humid climate just minutes from the beach, and rust is an issue... but I strongly prefer the latter.

First of all, storing your steel shot in water will not really have the effect of preventing oxidation.  Storing your shot in a lightweight oil would but then you have a gigantic mess when you take the shot out of the oil to tumble pieces.  If you have your shot properly cleaned and dried prior to storage, you should be just fine.  Rust will eventually take hold, particularly if you decide to use something like sand or other rough, abrasive material with the shot... but I think the shot will last longer if you limit exposure to moisture.  (As opposed to oxygen... which is MUCH harder to control and present in tap water ANYWAY.)

And there you have it!

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Cabochon setting

Here's another ring I made using a pink tourmaline cab...

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

New Earrings - Charoite and Fire Agate

Some time ago, I picked up a couple of strands of stones I hadn't heard of before...  I love the vibrant colors and natural variations the stones.

The first is Russian charoite.


Charoite is a rare and beautiful stone with dark and light striations, found only the Chary River in Siberia... Charoite is actually quite hard to come by because it is only found in that one location, and also due to Russian export laws, so when I had the chance to purchase an entire strand, I snapped it right up.  Russian Charoite has a hardness rating of 5-6 on the Mohs' scale, and will actually glow slightly under black lighting.

No two stones are ever alike, due to the swirling patterns and natural inclusions (which can be black, green, or orange). It is said to open the crown chakra, amplifying the connection between the head and the heart, allowing us to accept logically the things we need to let go of and the things we need to bring into our lives, making the transition easier on every level.

The other stone I've been playing with is fire agate.

Fire Agate is most frequently found in the Southwestern US and Mexico. (I was told these were mined in Arizona.) It has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs' scale, and is quite hard. No two stones are ever alike, some with crackling patterns, some with a bubbly look, many with both.

Fire Agate can vary in color from clear to dark brown, with layers of the iron oxide minerals limonite or goethite that create iridescence. This strand doesn't have a lot of iridescence, but it does have a beautiful, rich color, and lots of the characteristic bubbly/crackle that makes these stones so desirable.

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Gemstone setting - Garnet Earrings

One of the things I've wanted to learn is how to set gemstones. It's a little tricky, but not too terribly difficult as long as you match the proper sized setting to the stone. Here's a pair of garnet earrings on sterling posts... the stones are 8mm rounds and a bit larger than I expected, but I think they'll make a great staple piece. I didn't care much for post earrings when I was younger, but these days, I'm leaning back toward simpler shapes and designs.

What are your favorite earrings? Post, dangle? Simple hoops? Chandelier?

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Pirate Booty

It's no secret that I love pirates. And since I have to replenish my own jewelry collection, I decided to make a pair of pirate-y earrings using these lovely skulls and some labradorite briolettes. :)  What do you think?

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Another class at Bead It! Kailua: Bangles of Gold

It's no secret that I love our local bead store, Bead It! in Kailua.  This past weekend, I was delighted to get a seat in one of their newest classes, Bangles of Gold.  To make a long story short, it was a GREAT class, and I am REALLY excited about the things I learned!

Since the class teaches you how to solder gold filled wire, it's actually quite challenging, but the instructor, Brendan (also the owner) is really experienced in jewelry making and very enthusiastic about teaching.  Using the materials on the class supply list, I was able to make 4 bangles and 2 rings.  

Granted, I chose to cut apart two of my soldered joints so in the 4 hour class, I was able to attempt 8 solders.  Plenty enough to get the technique down enough to be able to replicate at home.  Not to mention the class handouts from Bead It are always terrific.

Up until this point, I've more or less avoided working with gold.  First of all, it's too expensive to really experiment with.  I mean, one troy ounce of gold is over $1700!   Still, I really dislike gold plated anything (except maybe vermeil).  Actually, I hate silver plated too.  It's just not durable.  Surprisingly, I really like the look of the gold filled wire.    Not to mention, $57 for half an ounce of wire, retail, is a little high, but not completely out of reach.

Yay!

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Getting Rid of the UFO's

Every crafter has a pile of unfinished projects... the ones that are abandoned, broken, missing a component... the ones that didn't work out in practice...

My stack of beading UFO's fills a gallon ziploc bag at the moment.

And so my next project is deconstruction and salvage.  A little different, but rather than stocking up on new supplies or tools for new projects, which is easy.  For the rest of the year, I am challenging myself to make do with the supplies on hand.

Well, except for the stuff I need for a soldering class next month.  :)


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More Beach Glass

Once I figured out how to get through the larger pieces and didn't take any chunks out of my fingers, I moved to some smaller pieces of glass... each piece of glass here is less than 1 square inch!  (The total length of these charms is roughly 1.5 inches.)

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!