Friendship is the Jewel in Life

I have had many friends over the years. They came and went. Some with many tears and some with just a few. Sometimes things just evolve over time or friends move away and out of your life.

But then there are the few that stay. The ones who you think about telling about something that happened during the day or the week. The one or two you call , text or email while you are doing the have to do's of life. They are the ones, who over time become the treasures of your life.

They have seen you during the good times and the bad times. And they still want to be your friend after the bad times. <3
Of course, you have seen their bad times, too, but you don't see it that way. You see it as an opportunity you had to be there for them when they needed someone to be there. An opportunity to give to them with no judgement.  What a treasure to find a friend like that!

"Friends hold a mirror up to each other; through that mirror they can see each other in ways that would not otherwise be accessible to them, and it is this mirroring that helps them improve themselves as persons." Aristotle

What a fantastic treasure. I count myself to be so lucky. I have been blessed in life.

New Jewelry Pieces and Instagram!

I just opened an Instagram account with some new jewelry to show.  I have been off almost 4 months with a torn ligament in my left ankle so I have spent some time on the couch with my beads. I decided this would be a good time to get out my waxed linen to play with. The colors that are available are wonderful! I really have enjoyed stringing beads again! It is so peaceful. More can be found on Instagram. One of my fav artists, Leslie Watt, shared the bracelet design and I love it!

 patriciasornamentalsI found this 1&1/4 inch black shell, perfectly shaped by the ocean to look like a sharks tooth and waited six years to make the piece. I wanted it to be special. Hand knotted waxed linen, black lava beads, black Czech glass beads, sterling silver beads and a pewter focal from Green Girl! Handmade sterling silver clasp on this 28 inch piece. $40

The 20 inch necklace is the star of this set including bracelet and earrings. Hand knotted waxed linen separated the beads in this genuine green turquoise and yummy orange Czech glass necklace, bracelet and earring set. I used a patinaed coin for the clasps. Handmade copper ear wires. $70 set

 My lampwork glass focal, sterling silver wire and dangles and beads, Czech glass beads, handmade sterling silver clasp, pastel leather bracelet/necklace. $40

Pretty polymer starfish disk ( I don't remember the maker), sterling silver wire and charms, glass beads, size 8/0 seed beads on the 3mm leather wrap bracelet/necklace. Handmade sterling silver clasp! $35

Revisiting Old Jewelry Pieces

I have many jewelry pieces in my studio that I never have gotten around to posting in my Etsy shop. Frequently I go back and look at them again and rethink what I created. I end up taking them apart and redoing them. Some completely and some partially with a more editing eye. It is oftentimes difficult to use your editing eye when the creative juices are flowing hot and heady!   Here are a couple I reworked recently and am much happier with the new edited piece.

This is the first design: Ok. The piglets in a pumpkin photo is just so cute!

 I did this design as part of a challenge: https://pattimillerbeads.blogspot.com/2018/01/use-your-stash-challenge-reveal.html  I received a fabulous oceany fused glass donutmade by  SueBeads .

I set it aside as I  got  settled in my new house since last October. I just last week got my lampworking torch set up. I have my jewelry stashes and components/beads  set up on tall shelves finally organized enough to use. And my jewelry design spot cleared and organized enough to use. Tell me yours looks like this, too!

This is my found (and some purchased) feather box.

And my feathers. :o)  I'm waiting for just the right project.

And here is the edited piece. It now is something I would wear. I think that may always be a good thing to focus on when designing. I am going to put it on a sterling chain and maybe a dangle at the clasp.

And another angle. What do you think?

I'll post another one at another time. This post has so many photos!

Art Elements January Use Your Stash Challenge Reveal!

Hosted by the fabulously talented  Lindsay Star!  This was a fun challenge for me. I moved in October and am working on the house and still have boxes everywhere. Well, I decided to take the spare room with two windows and a door that's all window! Tons of light! So, I got my jewelry table set up and my lampworking table set up but not the torch yet.  I was chomping at the bit to do something and  was thrilled to be chosen for this challenge. I received a fabulous fused glass donut made by SueBeads in beautiful ocean colors. So, that is the direction I went in for my pendant. I hope you like it.

This first photo isn't so great but I want you to see all the colors inside of it. This was a hard piece to photograph because of the depth of the piece.

 So, here it is on proper lighting. I used a piece of hand dyed silk a friend gave me last month as a background. It looks like a sandy beach!

Here is the list of all the participants. Please visit each one and enjoy the fabulous creations from everyone! Thanks SO much Lindsay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guests:

Kelly Rodgers

Sarajo Wentling

Samantha Wescott

Kathy Lindemer's

Patty Miller

Linda Landig

Renetha Stanziano

Art Elements:

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Jen Cameron

Claire Fabian

Sue Kennedy

Niky Sayers

Lindsay Starr

It's A Sickness!

If you are a craft person/artist who buys supplies you know how it can be. You collect items and supplies because they are fabulous and beautiful. Then you have to figure out new ways to store the items so they are readily available. And in your brain you have a running inventory of what you have and if that fails you go back and look through your supplies periodically to refresh your memory. LOLOL! It is fun though and I love it. I have more supplies now than I probably will ever use in my lifetime.

But as the new Pantone color of the year came out I got excited and went online to order more glass supplies. Frit to be specific. I love to use frit on the lampwork beads I make: as added color, design or background. Frit is wonderful. Of course I had to buy purple to see if I can match the new Pantone color of the year. The tone seems to be more of a blue purple than a pink purple. Here is what I found at Val Cox Frit. What do you think?

Purple Rose

Violet Storm

And my last choice is Hyacinth Violet

Which do you think are closest in shade to the Pantone Ultraviolet?

Fun, Fun, Fun! Pantone and Ultraviolet!

Pantone new color of the year  2018 is Ultraviolet! Wow!  https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2018
I have some wonderful lampworking frit called just that and am anxious to use it this year! 

Here are some purple beads I've done in the past as well as a pretty pair of purple earrings. I will be dusting off my purple glass and frits to play this year. :o)

The Best Metals For those of Us With Metal Allergies

I have thought about this for a long time as I have allergies to some metals in ear wires. I have to wear metals with no nickel at all. I have read that even some sterling can have a bit of nickel in it so those of us who make jewelry for others have to be sure of our sources. Be sure to buy sterling from reputable sellers who verify that it is nickle free.  I found some great info online about the best metals to use especially for ear wires as they do more than just lay on the skin like a bracelet or necklace. I have decided to go with black niobium and copper as they are both 99.99% pure and have no nickel in them. When asked  I can also make sterling silver ear wires as I know my silver has no nickel in it. Here is some great info I found from a lovely artist who strives to create nickel-free jewelry as I do.

Safe Metals 

Niobium

Niobium is 99.99% pure. It does not react to skin chemistry, and will never corrode or tarnish. It is the safest metal for allergy sufferers to wear. It is used for surgical implants. From a jeweler’s point of view Niobium is fabulous because it can be easily shaped, is as strong as steel, and has a natural shine. It can be anodized to be a rainbow of colors. 

It is a pure element, not combined with any other metal. It does not cause problems that alloys may cause.  Even if you have never been able to wear metal jewelry comfortably, you will be able to wear Niobium. 

Argentium Sterling Silver

Argentium Sterling Silver, also called Argentium Silver or Non-Tarnish Silver, is made of 93.5% pure silver, even a little more than traditional Sterling Silver. It also contains about the same amount of copper, but it also has a small amount of germanium. Germanium acts as a hardener, and has the added benefit of making the silver tarnish-resistant. It is guaranteed to be nickel-free. It is actually whiter and brighter than Platinum and White Gold, and maintains its shine with very little care.

Brass and Bronze

Brass is made of copper and zinc. Bronze is made of copper and tin. These are nickel-free and beautiful all by themselves. Bare metals or oxidized metals are nickel-free, and beautiful to wear. 

Modern-day brass is not produced with lead, although it never hurts to ask. Avoid “antique” brass, or brass of uncertain origin. If it passes your questions, wear it and enjoy!

Pewter

Pewter might be considered to be the inverse of bronze. Instead of copper with a little tin, it is tin with a little copper. This may be an oversimplification since other minor ingredients may include antimony, bismuth, or silver, but it is decidedly nickel-free. Tin, itself has quite a noble history, and is actually classified as a precious metal. Although pewter used to be combined with lead, it no longer is. Avoid “antique” pewter, or pewter of uncertain origin. Ask your questions, and enjoy wearing this versatile metal.

99.9% Pure Copper

Pure copper is allergy-safe. If you can be certain it has not been alloyed with nickel, it’s lovely to wear. Enameled or oxidized copper is generally fine, though be cautious of “antique” plating, as I mentioned under Brass and Bronze. It does tarnish easily, and may turn your skin green.

Metals to be Cautious About 

Sterling Silver

Although 925 Sterling Silver is often nickel-free, it is not always nickel-free. To me, that is a big difference. What the number means is that 92.5% of the metal is pure silver, the remaining 7.5% is copper, and trace elements of some other metal that is used as a hardener. This trace metal may be zinc, tin, boron, lithium, germanium, platinum, indium, or it may be nickel. If it is guaranteed by the supplier to be free of nickel, you can enjoy it for years to come. 

Surgical Stainless Steel

Although Surgical Stainless Steel does not cause a reaction in many people, it does in fact contain 8% to 12% nickel. This nickel is chemically bound to the other metal that is there, so that, in theory, it does not leech out into the skin.  You may or may not have any problems with wearing Surgical Stainless Steel. If you can wear it without problems, it can be a nice option.