3/12/12

Necklaces MoFos!

Naturally, you assumed I'd forgotten how to make necklaces.
Much Beyond. Found Object Victorian Tribal Assemblage Choker with Gold Foil.
Much Beyond.

You were wrong.

Much Beyond. Found Object Victorian Tribal Assemblage Choker with Gold Foil.

How dare you? No, no! How dare you?

Personal Metaphysical Abstract Talisman. Rustic Gypsy Found Object Assemblage Necklace with gold foil and iridescent pyrite.
Personal Metaphysical Abstract Talisman.

You know what they say about when you assume. You make an asterisk... wait that's not it... You make an asstastic... You grow a bigger ass?

Personal Metaphysical Abstract Talisman. Rustic Gypsy Found Object Assemblage Necklace with gold foil and iridescent pyrite.

So this below is the pièce de résistance (piece of resistance? WTF French people!). Look at my hammered S-hook of fanciness!

The Crownless Again Shall Be King. Multicultural Metaphysical Amulet with rustic antique medal amethyst druzy gemstone.
The Crownless Again Shall Be King.
Look at the rivet thingie I made up top to hold the medal in place! And the hammered loop that I'm excited about because I finally used the ball-peen end of my hammer!
The Crownless Again Shall Be King. Multicultural Metaphysical Amulet with rustic antique medal amethyst druzy gemstone.
Finally realized why my stuff didn't look hammered like fancy jewelry folk's stuff looks hammered. It's that damned ball peen.
Ball peen! ballpeenballpeen. Everyone thinks that's a funny word. Everyone.

Philo-Sophia. Victorian Tribal Gypsy Assemblage Bangle Stack.Oh, good news! I've finally gotten my ass in gear about making my next tutorial. As I've been whining to Petra of Jewel Identity, the hard part is in presenting your thoughts in a linear manner. Because to me it all happens at once, not unlike the 7 stages of mourning. So having to explain things that in any case are so self-explanatory to me... and you start going "How much do I need to explain? Like, how to hold pliers? What is wire? How far back do I go?"
Turns out, the more basic something is, the harder it is to explain it. Try it. Explain to someone how to breathe or walk.

The Lining of the World. Victorian Tribal Gypsy Assemblage Bangle Stack.As you can guess, it's a pretty beginner level tute. The part that might be interesting to more advanced folks is where I show what wax does to fabric and fibers and where I delve into the "tribal" aesthetic and confront common mistakes I see people make. (including me) in the tribal thing but also in bangleage. Design mistakes. Well, what I consider mistakes and explain why I consider them mistakes and how to fix them. So, the design part might be interesting... I go into the pros and cons of using round-nosed vs. crimped nose pliers and steel vs. brass vs. copper wire. Also oxidizing and how it reacts to different types of plating.
Securing yarn and ribbon... rhinestone chain... fabric bracelets without the wire... There will be some types of connections, though they'll be really simple I think. In any case, I think this one will be less expensive and of course all y'all will get a coupon. Cuz I love you.
I am by no means done, so...  So forget I said anything, 'kay?

28 comments:

La Fileuse said...

Did you mean "plat de résistance" ? The most important dish of a meal ? Are you surprised about the word "résistance" ? I checked it at wordreference.com and someone said : pièce (or plat) de résistance as 'main course' falls into the former category, it is presumably the course which will take you longest to consume. Hope this helps ! ^^
And I'm so much in love with your Talisman ! Great !

Beatnheart said...

Can't wait for this tute. Necklaces??? Grrr. not so good at those. Yours are beachin.

richelle said...

Good for you with the new tute. Tutes are the new black, I'm finding. Those pyrite beads are really intriguing and I don't really get it. Is the iridescence some kind of finish or embellishment or is it certain type of pyrite? I love the way you finish the ends of the cording with the wrapped fiber. I've done a similar thing on a small scale with earrings and something else but it was not as pronounced, but I'm going to copy that wth cord and see how it goes.

Numinosity said...

Tute sweet, how's that for some French now?
Cool neckpieces, I think you succeeded in taking the lace out of necklace for sure. I used to think my necklaces were asymmetrical but not any more, I would just switch around a few beads and put my focal on the side instead of the middle but you have redefined the word for me. (putting the fine in redefine, you have)
xoxo Kim

Numinosity said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rosie Moceri said...

The new tute sounds amazing... *Squee!* I'm in love with that dark bracelet set too.

Rosie Moceri said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
anvilartifacst said...

Great post! You're so right about the most basic things being the hardest to explain, especially in print where we can't talk with our hands to show what we mean. hahaha which is obviously, what I do all the time. Looking forward to your new tute!

Chelsea said...

Wow. There's something about those first two necklaces that is simplistic and whole. Like--they look simple, but they also look like it took a lot of time/thought/skillz to get that way. I am diggin' it.

Spirited Earth said...

Tute, Tute

Anonymous said...

Your dilemma with the tute reminds me of the quote by Carl Sagan, "If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." At any rate, I'm looking forward to it!

Jackie said...

Ooh la la, tute you say!! I do hope it is a tute for your awesome bangles. The necklaces are fabulous, as always. But the bangles are to die for!!

Penelope said...

Ugh that dark stack of bangles- I WET MY PANTS. Twice. I've forgotten how to make necklaces, seems everyone has lately.

The thing about a lot of that stuff you blather about at the end - how to fix mistakes, what pliers to use etc - is the kind of shit you put in a book, so if you don't wanna do a book it would be a whole other tute- i mean you can write a certain amount of advice in this tute but keep it specific to the project. then do one about tools and one about design elements. or maybe not the tool one cause if you can't figure out which pliers to use for what then you got some way to go before you start usin' tutes. I say this while I use round noise pliers for just about everything.

TOUCH MY BALL PEEN

Penelope said...

Hey I just noticed if people think you're a male Chinese peasant, comment peeps here prolly think I'm some villan-faced 1920s gentleman. I can live with that.

Sharon Driscoll said...

This tute sounds incredibly interesting...go for it! I'll be waiting. I wish I lived where you could take us for a foraging trip and I could find some Catholic metals to work with. I am just so intrigued by what you are doing.

alteredarcheology said...

Your new throat pieces show the less is more idea to it's fullest, they are -simply stunning- I'm excited about your 'tute as well as all your other admirers/commenters/stalkers. I'm looking forward to what your advice will be on patinas (hehe, my iPad keeps wanting to autocorrect that to Latinas, these things are smarter than I thought) I'm wondering if the Jax brand will get those metals that play 'hard to get' nice and dark. I'm having difficulty with Novacan flaking on copper and brass. I'm experimenting with heat oxidation and that's producing some interesting results. Can't wait to hear what the Latina Patina Queen has to say!!

Anonymous said...

Come on already, I wanna make bangles, lots of preddy bangles....also must leave sugar alone.

Just Jen said...

swooning over your ballpeen'd parts.

betweenreader said...

Oh my, necklaces of desire. Especially with that closure on the first one -- is it some sort of notebook ring? Me luvsit.

Anonymous said...

LOVE your bracelets and well, everything! I really would look forward to your tutorial, seeing your process and getting tips. Hey, in one of these can you include how you get your wire endings to not be all pokey? I really struggle with sharp and unsightly wire finishing. You ARE my jewelry teacher these days. I scrutinize your pieces for technique, but the tutes will be my live guide. Can't wait.

Melinda said...

"The Crownless" necklace kinda makes me go dizzy in the head and weak in the knees.

Lucie Tales said...

These necklaces are to dye for!!!! I love the way you've wrapped the wire on the cord!!! Simple and efficient!

and tute bangles!!!!! Sorry for the ! It's an addiction. I would love love love to make bangles like you do, I've tried but mine are absolutely ugly.
You could also say "pièce maitresse" instead of "pièce de résistance", because the pièce de résistance, it's something a little bit heavy, difficult to digest whereas "pièce maitresse" there's master in the word. That's all for the french ;-)
and I've added the back of my earrings in the forum, don't know if you've seen them, I quite like them so I'm boasting (now I'm pink in the face for saying so)

Flotsam Tide said...

here I come late to the party, but eeee! Yes in Kindergarden right now we are learning to write in exclamation points as punctuation for "expression". I am expressing that I love your necklaces, that druzy crystal is a wicked tease, and oh that dark bangle stack I just want to live in there. Can't wait for your next tute, you already saw the frenzy that your last one provoked in me. Woo hoo!

Oh and I have a crush on Sparrow's avatar....

Jackie said...

My last comment had a total of 4 FOUR exclamation points. Sorry I got overly excited about the coming tute, I could not contain myself.

jbb said...

Hurry tute.....hurry

Janet Baskerville said...

I'm a newbie reader of your blog and I must say you are one funny clever chic!

Tribalis said...

"Finally realized why my stuff didn't look hammered like fancy jewelry folk's stuff looks hammered. It's that damned ball peen."..

Ha,ha,ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (as a good Brazilian I love exclamation more that any American!!!!)..

Are you kidding Fanci,right ??!!!!
Ha,ha,ha!!!

Petra Carpreau said...

Not as late as me, Kim - Damn, but I've been getting so out of the loop lately.
Gorgeous necklaces - it's been too long, and these are classic fanci beauts.
yeah, nice bit of peening with your ball there, tutes!