Novus Jewellery Training

Fine silver and brass hair ornament 13cm long, 3cm wide I just quickly want to publish these pics of the hair ornament that has been on my bench now for 2 weeks already. Each time I am thinking of taking a photo to post on the blog something happens... the phone rings, or I cant find the camera, or the cameras batteries are dead, or... you know what I mean. So there she is, finally on the blog - something for a bride I think in a fabulous "up"style hairdo. This flower is only one of many fold forming techniques. We have a workshop on it this Saturday again with Fransa Cole, and I think I will have to stick around a bit longer to learn another new technique. It truly is fascinating how easy it is to make a 3dimensional shape from a flat sheet of metal. A type of origami for metal if you will. This is project number 11 - only 41 to go. Playing around with granulation at the moment - will let you know if I had any success.

So we all new it was going to happen. . . I am so far behind that instead of concentrating on the project of the moment, I am stressed out about the 14 that first needs to get done. I know it sounds silly to think about it in that way, but that is just the way my brain is wired. So I am going to cheat a bit to get ahead. I am going to add some projects done for magazines to my 52 project list. Just to recap, after these 4 "new" projects I am now10 projects behind (I know, I know, it sounds really bad when you say it out loud) During the first weeks of April, I did this project for the craftwise magazine. It is for the May/June issue currently on the shelves. Sterling silver chain with Letter and number punched sterling and 9ct yellow disk, Swarovski Crystal Briolette, Chalcedony Marquise cab, Chrysoprase Bullet Cab. aka Project 7 I have had a few teardrop shaped stones in my drawer since last year, and I had an idea for a project that was simple to make. This toggle styl...

I do see that I have made quite a few rings and earrings so far, so I will try and focus on a few pendants, brooches or maybe bangles.This ring was made with a vintage brooch given to me by my Granny Emma. I think the stone is actually glass, but it does have a lovely warm colour that looks quite a lot like a brandy topaz.The ring on the bottom is just a wide silver dome ring, and the brooch is riveted on the top. I used rivets as I was unsure of the stone and didn't want to remove it just to solder, so I left it in situ. The "stone" has quite a few chips and scratches, but because it was given to me by my gran I wont be selling it (and I quite like the chips and scratches, it's a reminder that it had its own kind of history before you) Sterling silver ring with vintage brooch finding, riveted

I have to remind myself that this challenge is just that, a challenge. Life is what happens while you are trying to do other things. These last few weeks have been quite tricky for me, so I am 2 (plus original 2) projects behind. So without further re due here is the latest one, as promised done with a cut off piece of wood from my husbands knife making. Sterling Silver Ring with Wild Olive wood, and Sterling Silver tube rivets. 29 x 26 x 9mm I must say I was very tempted to put some sparkly stones in somewhere, but alas, time is not on my side and I have to get on with the other projects already jockeying for position in my head. Coming up next: Something made with a piece of vintage brooch from my grandmother.

This is last weeks project that I only got to finish today. This can be attributed to all the small stone tube settings. I will be the first to admit that my setting skills leave much to be desired, but this project gave me an opportunity to practice x 18. The pic on the right shows the tiny (1.5mm)stones set on the side of the tubes. For the cabs on the ends I used Iolites, I love their deep blue violet colour. (and its not green - I had to stop myself as I originally wanted to use peridot. If you didnt know, I have a thing for green stones...) St erling Silver Earrings, constructed 25 x 12 mm each, Black and while cubic zirconia, Square cabochon Iolite. The design has quite an art deco feel to it, as well as reminding me of wings for some reason. Like a vintage aviators badge or something like it. Speaking of Art Deco, I was asked to be part of an exhibition in May with an Art Deco/Art Noveau theme. I did the design before I knew about the exhibit - so I was tuned in to what the un...

I have been wanting to make these earrings for a while now, ever since one of my students from Brazil - Bianca - brought a similar pair to me for repair. I borrowed the idea of the spirals in earring form, and decided to add some deep hammer texture and a bit of drama in the form of fine gold plating with black oxidization. Sterling Silver Earrings, fine gold plating, texture, patina. FYI - See Novus in action on DSTV , Channel 182, the Home channel from the 21st - 27 th of March 2011 Mon- 7pm Tues- 10:30pm Wed- 11am Thurs- 3pm Sat- 2pm, 9pm Sunday- 8am, 4pm and 11pm

My second project is done! I have had this square lilac Chalcedony for a while now, and was just waiting for the right design. I almost didn't make it as busy weekend plans gave me very little time to finish the ring. And I literally almost didn't make it as my top dome exploded while soldering. So here is a lesson. I always teach my students to make a small hole somewhere in a closed dome or bead to help the hot air escape. I didn't want to make a hole under the stone as the stone is clear and would show the shape of the hole. The pressure builds inside a closed area while you are heating it the hot air inside expands, and it needs to go somewhere. So it will either blow open a weak solder join, or literally blow the thinnest part of metal sky high. In unlucky situations it may explode right in your face or eyes. I thought I was safe as the thickness in the metal was almost 1mm. But it did, thank goodness no one else was close by or hurt, except my poor apprentice who h...