I've been busy in the studio!

It feels so good to work freely and to be inspired by the vintage goodies in my collections. For the past 8 month's I have been working on a challenging artistic and time focused project ~ which will be shared in the future. I know that I am not alone on on this... I have many designs that have been in a "holding" pattern waiting to be completed. I am refocused and have started to "chip" away to bring them life...I hope you enjoy the four designs I am sharing ~ 

A lovely friend celebrated her birthday yesterday and I made this for 


her...



I have a extensive collection of vintage Art Deco shoe, dress and fur clips and love to add them to my designs. I spent Sunday customizing a few into connectors without compromising the rhinestones and pot metal structure. Here is a beautifully delicate inspired rosary design using one of the shoe clips and is available on my website:


 


















I love anything French ~ authenticate, or inspired: This bracelet has been in one of those "holding" patterns and it feel great bringing it to completion! It is also available on my website: 



 






















The embellished focal pendant was a pair of huge vintage earrings that spoke to me long ago ~ I knew that I would be inspired to work with them. I adore the mix of colors for this neck piece ~ it reminds me of an ice cream cone, or cupcake...Heavy on the "sprinkles"! 
 It is also available on my website: 



 
















Thank you so much for visiting!!! 

Paris, Fleur de Lis and more...

I wanted to share a few more designs I have been working on these past weeks. I hope you enjoy them... 

Miriam Haskell meets Etched Brass...Swoon

I usually design and create with mainly white metals ~ I am loving this combination of antique brass, patina, filigree, baroque pearls with accents of beautiful garnet beads and my vintage Miriam Haskell finding ~ 

Torch Soldering and Cold Connection using rivets....love!

Also...

I'm so excited to be teaching my first workshop on Saturday at Vintage Handmade ~ thank you Lisa and her guests!  We are going to have so much fun creating the Vintage Paris Bumble Bee Crowned Soldered Pendant Necklace~

Wishing everyone a fabulous THREE day holiday weekend!

Mixed Media & Bridal Jewelry Collage

I thought I would share two of the collage photo's that I created using photo's of my mixed media and bridal jewelry designs.  My technical skills are not up to date and it takes me FOREVER to figure this sort of stuff out ~ I used Picasa to get this far.

I'm off to play a little bit more to see what else I can learn. :)

Paris Themed Workshop ~

Happy New Year Everyone!

I am so looking forward to this New Year of 2012 ~

Next month...February, I will be teaching a workshop ~ something I have wanted to do for a long time. 

I would like to invite you to visit my new website ~ new creations will be added often:

http://www.romancethebling.com/

Wishing a fabulous year for everyone!!!

Cest La Vie ... Paris...from start to completion ~

One of a kind assemblage necklace ~ Paris

I love how this necklace turned out and thought I would take photos of the process and materials used. I hope it gives an idea what is used in creating a piece like this ~ starting with photo #1 ...


No, you are seeing correctly ~ this is a small paper box where you find wooden match sticks (discard cover and match sticks).
This is what I have used to make a small showdow box.





To reinforce this half box I have used netted plaster material ~ which is used to make a cast when a limb is broken. Dipping it in water and wrap around the box (I wrap it twice to make it strong) until it is completely covered ~ letting the box dry overnight.

Modge Podge brushed on moistened paper images and carefully placing onto the box~ drying after each step.






and now the real artistic expression and fun begins...


Layer, layering and more layers using combinations of artist chalk, crayons and two different compositions of pigment powders and a product called H20 (solid pigment using water ~ working into a paste). Between each product I brush on a coating of Gel Medium ~ more drying time between each step.

Patience ~


next wrap the decorated box and glass cover with copper foiling ~ using flux and silver solder to securely seal the box.

Embellishing with French charms, stampings, vintage rhinestone jewels - soldered to box, vintage bias tape, chunky chain ~ hand oxidize silver solder and components for a vintage cohesive look.

Very labor instensive; but so much fun to make!

Due to the drying steps for each process this piece took 3 days from start to completion ~ I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Français Assemblage Shadow Box Collier ...

(French assemblage shadow box necklace)

Rhinestone fluer de Lis dangles freely inside the box ~ so fun!

If you have made it this far ~ thank you for viewing all the photo's!

Have a wonderful week!