Not a bad afternoon's work

Well the Australian Rules Football Grand Final was on this afternoon.

I'm only vaguely interested in footy but I did watch it while I made some jewellery. Nothing like multi-tasking. I was happy with the afternoon's result.

Here's a brand new design I created using rubber rings with Sterling Silver ....

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New Stickers

Well my blog block is over and I'm back!!
Just had to show off these cool new stickers I got
from Max and Bella

I'm going to use them to seal my gift bags which I've yet to buy. I'm thinking black bags for a nice crisp look. Pin It

The Perfect Present!

I'm doing a lot of metal work these days and not using beads and stones so much lately, but my most favourite of the semi precious stones is Mookaite. The colours speak to me and ...well, it's a Western Australian Stone, so that makes it extra cool.

So, yesterday a few friends & I went out to breakfast to celebrate a couple of August Birthdays (mine included). My friend Pam bought me some real mookaite rocks - direct from the earth. She put them in a lovely arrangement with a candle on a dish.

She's recently been on a 4 wheel drive camping tour which took in in the Kennedy Ranges, which is here in Western Australia. While there she collected rocks herself from Mooka Creek.

I am so lucky that she chose to give me a hand picked selection of these beautiful stones - and that I have a friend that is so in tune with me that she would just pick out the "Perfect Present"! So thank you Pam :)

The picture is of my present with the "raw" rocks and the candle and in front of that are some of the beautiful Mookite beads I have in my bead stash. Ha Ha! Some that were prepared earlier - so to speak! Pin It

Broome Holiday

First of all - here's the reason we went to Broome - to celebrate our daughter's 21st with her - she went off backpacking in April and got a job there and hasn't moved on....yet....
Here she is with her new best friend Dom............!!!!



Our baby has grown into a delightful, independent, young lady whom we are so very proud of :)



Words can't describe the beauty of the coastline in the Kimberley - this pic was at Gantheaume Point, not far from Broome.



Apart from seeing our lovely daughter, the lure of the ocean was a bonus for Mr GetSilvered.......here he is showing off his spoils from a day on the beautiful azure ocean



But it wasn't all blue skies and Azure oceans - we had fun at ladies day for the Broome Racing Carnival - nothing like the combo of alcohol, horses, designer labels and red dust! I won $45 on my first bet.....and promptly lost it all on subsequent bets, but it was better than losing my own money!



The hat was too big I might add (I'm the short person!), and is a little worse for wear after being shoved in the suitcase for the trip home!

Finally I'll finish this post with another shot taken from Gantheaume point - I honestly think this is God's own country and my little holiday snaps no way do it justice :)

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Etsy DUST Review

Just got back from a week in Broome where we visited for my daughter's 21st!
More about that later with some pictures........

Before I left I spent a bit of time writing a review on a talented fellow Australian Artisan - melanie from Wiccked. The Etsy Dust Team help promote each other's shops -
Here's my review.

And because I can't wait to show you pics of beautiful Broome - here's a little preview
This is at the Willie Creek Pearl Farm and yes the water really is that colour :)
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www.kiva.org

This article was published in our local Sunday paper and caught my attention. I usually talk about my jewellery but not today.
A micro loan was required to assist a lady expand her small jewellery business in the Dominican Republic - given my love of making jewellery too, I thought that was appropriate. Check out my side bar for a link to many more entrepreneur's from all over the world who require micro business loans and investors - the stories are inspirational.

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Metal Work Challenge

Over on the Beading Forum in the Metalwork section we are having a challenge to make an item using a technique we've never used before and it also must include something found or recycled.

I decided to set a cabochon in a bezel. I had all the right supplies to set a bezel but had not got around to it so I decided to bite the bullet and today was the day!
I made my own cab. by die cutting & doming a copper disc. Then I fluxed the dome and
sprinkled it with Sterling Silver Dust - that's my recycled item - I sweep it off the bench when I cut out sterling rings for my chainmaille and save it.
I had no idea how it'd turn out, some silver fused on & some stayed in it's little specks and the copper oxidised in the heat. Even a bit of fire scale adds to the effect I think!!
The bezel making wasn't as hard as I expected thanks to the excellent video instructions over at the Art Jewelry Magazine site. I still spent most of the day on it though.
This was going to be a ring but I got impatient (as you do!) and went with the easy option of drilling a hole and making it a pendant! Pin It

Featured in an Etsy Treasury

I was lucky enough to be featured in an Etsy Treasury. My corrugated Sterling Pendant was included in a treasury created by DaraArt
I'm in good company with lots of other locals from Western Australia. Thanks Dara! Pin It

Birthday Pressie

I've made these earrings for my niece's Birthday next week. Don't worry I'm sure I won't ruin the surprise - I'm pretty certain she doesn't read my blog!
I've been using a wooden doming block for the last couple of years and I've just upgraded to a stainless steel block and dapping punches. I love it - I can work the metal into a much deeper curve now.
These earrings have a brushed satin finish in the concave part of the dome with a contrasting high polish on the convex part on the reverse. I've nestled a freshwater pearl in each dome. When worn they'll dance around at the end of the chain so both the matte and the polished surfaces will be seen.

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Not for the lonely Cuff!

Really pleased how this turned out. I made a wide copper chainmaille cuff & decorated it with Swarovski TM crystals. Copper findings are a bit scarce, especially wide clasps, so I made my own closure from sheet copper. The cuff will lace up like a shoelace. I may try and look for a better colour ribbon for the tie - The brown looks fine but if I can get a copper coloured ribbon then that would be even better.
This cuff is not for the lonely - I think it will need a friend to help tie it up or failing that a third hand!
In the first photo I've lined up the crystals neatly but in reality when worn the crystals will bounce all over the place randomly.
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