Kirsten Turnbull is the creative Auckland artist behind Cheek Pinchy jewellery. A regular at plenty of the Auckland markets, her work is certainly unique and one of a kind with lots of her pieces one off’s that can’t be reproduced. Her work includes brooches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and art-cards. We are really happy to have her join us for the very first Fair!
How long have you been creating jewellery? From an early age I thought that the only people who were creative could draw a perfect horse out of their heads. I lived the majority of my life believing I didn’t have a creative bone in my body! I’ve tried diverse tiny projects over time but never with much success. I certainly had no intention that others would see them not to mention want to own any! Ideas have always bubbled about in me though which was about two years ago that I started the very beginnings of Cheek Pinchy. Was just the best time I think!
How did Cheek Pinchy jewellery start? It was about two years back when I was full time at home with my gorgeous daughter and I actually wished to have a creative outlet. I had been collecting vintage fabric and bits for years and thought I would like to have a go at stitching but my talents are Terribly limited! I was finding it too frustrating and realised my fervour lay with putting color and pattern together rather than with sewing. The idea to start one off collage cards using vintage pictures was born! Inside a few months Toggle had started selling the cards and Esther Lamb inspired me into the market scene. Over the past two years I have experimented with all types of projects including wall blocks and snow globes and now have a full jewellery range. I wouldn’t ever have thought two years back that I would be doing what I do now! It has definitely been a private expansion journey and I am slowly getting over my shyness and underconfidence!
Describe what you create? The bulk of what I create now is the Cheek pinchy jewellery range. It’s a full range that includes brooches, rings, earrings, necklaces and bangles. The images all come from vintage books and have been set onto a beech plywood base. I have a choice of jewellery that uses limited numbered reproduction photographs and also some one off items. The most recent reproduction range is made from generally bird, floral and botanical photographs. When I am getting time I like continuing to create one off cards and wall blocks in a collage style.
What inspires you? I am provoked by the support of my folks, the grace of creation and the result of my gramps who always discussed the 1950′s and 60′s as ‘the twilight days ‘. I’ve a love of all things vintage and a specific obsession with all things related to deer, birds, military and nautical themes! Also I am galvanized by color combos and the way that different colours stimulate robust emotive reaction in people.
What are your favorite materials to use? Why are they your fave? My favourite material to use is vintage books particularly children’s books. I love opening them up to find out the damp, earthy smells, the yellowed and stained pages, the front cover inscriptions and ‘extra ‘ illustrations their child owners have given them over the years.
What would you say is your largest achievement to date? I think the previous couple of years have seen my largest accomplishments that being tackling the job of maternity, coming to terms with issues of my very own childhood and pursuing my passions thru establishing Cheek Pinchy. Apart from all that I was a bit of a whizz at jazzercise in the 80′s. Complete with my hot pink lycra tights, leotard and leg warmers, I was a force to be reckoned with!
Have you got any future plans for your jewellery? I find making future plans for Cheek Pinchy a little frightful as I am amazed at what’s happened in the last couple of years already. I definitely have other product ideas bobbing around but am going to let things grow organically at this time.
Where are your fave places online? I expert all over the place online principally blog jumping but I mostly check in on the latest systems on Post Secret and tempting finds on Etsy. What kind of music do you enjoy listening to while you work, if any? I have a terribly eclectic musical taste but my favourite music to work to is super kitsch 80′s pop! Nothing really gets you going like Spandau ballet, Wham!, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Culture Club, Duran Duran…did I say Jazzercise earlier.. ?
Buying jewelry below wholesale on the net is actually quite easy , and most of the time, it is really an satisfying buying sensation. In reality, a lot of people choose this method of purchasing diamond jewelry below wholesale as they quite simply find a significantly wider selection at much lower prices. Even so, much of the shopping community is still wary of online enterprises. If perhaps this seems like you, there is really no need for concern. Simply stick to a handful of simple guidelines to make sure that you have a secure and reasonable purchasing experience.
The first step is to be mindful that there are in truth many con artists operating on the net – and they will gladly grab your hard earned cash with totally no misgivings. It will be your obligation to look at each of the proper safety measures to shield against this happening.
To begin with, discover the jewelry wholesale that you are interested in ordering. Take note of the place you found it , but don’t spend money just yet – there’s still a great deal to be done. Check out various other online wholesaler’s web sites and internet jewelry merchants to determine if you possibly could locate similar types. In most cases, you will be able to. Consider the price variances. Although the particular wholesale price really should be below the retail store selling price , you should use extreme care should the price seems too cheap. Keep in mind that old adage “if it seems too good to be legitimate, it probably will be.”
Once you’ve found the best price , read every detail you can find concerning the diamond jewelry. Be sure that it really is just what exactly you’d like, specifically if you would like to buy pearl jewelry, with regards to authenticity. In case you are unsure, never make the purchase before you really do know without a doubt. You shouldn’t be hesitant to make contact with the business directly to be able to make inquiries – although do not take their own promises for it either .
Seek advice from the better business bureau On the internet , and also the Bbb in the spot in which the company is located. You are checking to see if there are any grievances relating to this business enterprise. When there have been, that info will likely be made readily available to you at no cost and when one can find problems, you should avoid engaging with the business.
Making handmade wire jewelry components can bring you much delight when you design and fabricate hand crafted jewelry.
All jewelryenthusiasts ought to know how to produce handmade jump rings. Jump rings really are a critical element of most items of jewelry that you’re going to make. While you may buy pre-made jump rings, there are lots of advantages to creating do-it-yourself jump rings. When you are able create your own jump rings, they’re consistently the exact size they need to be.You can make them from any metal you choose. You can customise your jump rings in any way that you want any time you create them yourself. If you realize that your jump ring is just too large, you can easily make it just a bit smaller sized. It is much more challenging to utilize a commmercially made jump ring smaller on its own – though it can be done with a bit of effort.
Creating handmade jump rings takes some practice. If you make handmade jump rings, it is suggested that you really practice this skill so you become accustomed to creating the rings properly. As you improve you’ll see that the jump rings become better and better. When you only create jump rings, as you need them, you probably aren’t giving yourself ample practice. An excellent suggestion would be to sit and relax with a cup of coffee and your favorite tv program and just make homemade jump rings to your heart’s content! Within an hour, you’ll have plenty of diy jump rings, but more to the point you’ll realize that your skill has considerably improved and your rings are significantly improved.
Here are a few challenges when you create homemade jump rings. A few who make homemade jump rings discover that their jump rings don’t fit together as perfectly as the ready-made jump rings do. This is solved with a bit of wiggling and effort. Sometimes you have to file the ends flat and smooth to help make the homemade jump rings lie flat. Review of your jump ring closely to see just what exactly the trouble might be. With a little patience, you will indeed coaxe your homemade jump ring to lie flat.
Occasionally those that make homemade jump rings realize that their rings seem too malleable. Such a thing happens if you are using “dead soft” wire for your homemade jump rings. This is the softest temper available. There are a number of easy ways to harden wire, but If you don’t want to harden your homemade jump rings, then you might want to get started with half-hard wire . Now you have an ideal way make do-it-yourself jump rings that are somewhat more solid.
Newbies to making wire jewelry should take homemade jump rings as a quest to achieve. As a material, wire must be grasped and grasping how to make homemade jump rings is another way to further your journey to mastering wire. As your technique improves so you tame the wire, you’ll realize that you can absolutely control your jewelry wire. Creating these handmade jump rings also gives you great confidence as a wire work jeweler. Imagine the other wire projects you’ll be ready to try next!
About the Author: Christine Gierer is the owner and originator of How-to-Make-Jewelry.com. She really loves sharing her know-how in wire jewelry making, and shares free jewelry projects on her website. http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com
Silver clay? What the hell is that? Is it clay made out of silver? Silver clay, precious metal clay, art metal clay, and art clay silver are all different terms and types of “clay” that can be magically turned into gold and silver.
These innovative metal clays were introduced to the North American market in the nineties. Jewelry enthusiasts and hobbyists can now form and shape expensive metal as simply as play doh.
Jewellery making naturally goes back to man’s earliest days. The difference today is that you now do not have to hammer or cast your metal to make jewellery if you do not need to. Silver clay now makes it straightforward to make real metal forms without these normal strategies.
Here is how it functions. Gold and silver metal clays are composed from fine metal particles suspended in an organic binder. This binder lets you mold and shape the clay as you would potter’s clay. Once you are happy with the form, you let your project dry for no less than 24 hours ( or more ). You then fire it in a kiln or by employing a hand torch. The binder burns away, leaving the fused metal behind in the form you formed it.
Before you grab a pile of silver clay and go at it though, you will want to keep 1 or 2 rules under consideration. Silver clay isn’t cheap, so you do not need to waste it.
Silver Clay Tips
Here are a considerable number of tips for working with silver clay :
–>Metal clays shrink 10-30% when fired. Be certain to take a look at your package for shrinkage levels particularly if you are making rings or other objects that need to be actual fits. –>Not all metal clays can be hand torch fired. If you won’t be employing a kiln be sure to check that your brand of silver clay is “low fire”. –>Only small pieces should be torch fired. Pieces bigger than 25g should be kiln fired. Silver clay is expensive. The gold version particularly is extraordinarily high-priced. Be certain to shop carefully and follow instructions fastidiously so you do not waste your cash fruitlessly.
Be sure to let your metal clay dry entirely before firing. Firing damp clay won’t work and you won’t be a content camper.
You can extend the working time of your metal clay by adding a drop or two of glycerin ( available at drug stores ) to your newly opened package of silver clay. To use : make a depression with your thumb in the clay, and add a drop or two of glycerin. Fold the clay a couple of times to mix in the glycerin, then spritz with water. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit so that the clay can absorb the glycerin. When you’re employed with the clay the following day, use as normal. This trick will extend the working time, but also extends the drying time required before firing.
If you see a blackish mould, do not be concerned. This will burn away when firing. This mildew occurs when you use regular tap water to dampen the clay.
Now that you have some silver clay guidelines, I bet you are psyched. You want to work with this leading edge material now! What will you make first?
Want to discover more about precious metal clay? Read more of my silver clay articles. http://shop.how-to-make-jewelry.com
Native Americans of the Atlantic Coastal regions and the Mississippi River Basin have been the first to gather and use U.S. freshwater mussel pearls and shells. Pearl necklaces and ear pendants were worn by the two sexes and both pearl and also shell have been applied for decorative reasons on articles of clothing. Many of the tribes applied pearls as tributes, reportedly Powhattan (Pocahontas’ father) had large stores of pearls acquired as gratitude. Additionally, armlets, freshwater pearl jewelry, and gaming pieces were produced from mussel shell.
Organic freshwater pearls are seldom completely round or even nearly spherical, and much more often than not they’re baroque, slugs, or wings. A lot of pearls, both all-natural and cultured, have lovely coloration and luster. Fresh water pearls are known for their broad assortment of coloration, they might be discovered in white, silvery white, pink, salmon, red, copper, bronze, brown, lavender, purple, green, blue, cream, and yellow. Even though white is the most frequent coloration, the most desirable are the pastel pinks, roses, lavenders, and purples. The diverse colors are a function of the mussel species, genetics, water quality, along with the position of the pearl within the shell. Usually, pearls assume the coloration of the shell in which they form. Difficulties can arise in arranging matched strands due to the fact of the broad assortment of pastel colors.
The shape of the nucleus and it is position in the mussel can determine the shape of the cultured pearl. The shapes recovered contain rounds, pears, eggs, drops, buttons, domme, and baroques. Therefore, the baroques contain quite a few recognized shapes such as, nuggets, dog tooths, wings, hammers, twins, barrels round-a-circle, and rosebuds. The baroques have become popular for usage in the manufacture of rings, earrings, and pendants. Cultured pearls come in every one of the exact same colors as natural pearls.
Sandra Solivagant Samson is a veteran in freshwater pearl jewelry and contributor to many excellent publications.
Precious metal clay (also known as PMC and ACS or Art Clay Silver) is is as simple to use as potter’s clay. It’s soft and moldable, and works very much like clay in many ways.
Here’s how you use this material to make your creations. You mold your pieces, then burn away the binder. This works because fine metal particles are suspended in an organic binder that can be burnt away leaving the metal fused into the form you shape it.
There are tons of different ways to texture, shape, and mold your precious metal clay into attractive and detailed designs, but these are beyond the scope of this article!
Recommended Ways To Fire Your Metal Clay
These are the 3 main methods for firing metal clay. You can use a torch, a kiln, or with a Hot Pot (or similar gas/metal screen setup). In this post, let’s talk about how to use the torch.
Using A Torch For Firing Metal Clay
Smaller pieces (less than 25 g) can be hand torch fired. Also, it’s best to make sure your piece is pretty even in thickness and relatively simple. Complex and intricate pieces have a tendency to fare better in a kiln.
Here’s how to torch fire. Be sure touse a a fire proof and heat retardant like a soldering pad or a fire brick with a piece of aluminum sheet underneath. You’ll want a well ventilated area. Using your butane torch (I use a Blazer torch), start aiming your flame on the dry precious metal clay piece. At first you’ll see a little bit of smoke as the organic binder burns off. Then you just need to get your piece to glow a nice pinky orange colour (you can see it quite clearly as long as you aren’t working in too bright a light) Move the torch away a bit and then forward again if the glow fades. Just don’t go really close with the torch once you have got up to temperature or you will melt the detail on your work.
A Precious Clay Torching Video: Videos always help explain this torch technique:
Looking for precious metal clay retailers? Resource girl to the rescue! Take a look at my precious metal clay pages and posts at http://shop.how-to-make-jewelry.com/metal-clay-supplies/ to find metal clay supplies and links for various suppliers and stockists worldwide.
When you go looking for jewelry, what are you trying to find? Do you make a selection based on the amount you’ll have to spend? Do you decide based on the color? Do you fancy your jewelry based on appearance? Are you concerned about it being one of a kind? Is it important for you have a one of a kind item? If being one of a kind is worthwhile, you could save some time by exclusively shopping for handcrafted jewelry. Jewelry that is mass-produced for department stores is good and all, however if you like pieces that are unique, jewelry that is handcrafted should be the way you go.
The easiest way to get handmade jewelry of your very own is to make it. Finding someone to teach you is a great way to do this. Taking a class in jewelry making at your local community center or at your local jewelry shop can be a great way to learn the basics of jewelry making. Sometimes local jewelry designers will work with people on an individual basis. This is one of the best ways to learn how to make your own jewelry because it is easier to learn if you are the only student there.
Etsy.com is a great site for handcrafted jewelry. This website includes thousands of different sellers who specialist is various kinds of arts and crafts. Everything you come across on Etsy.com will either be vintage or antique or is handmade. Those are the standard procedures for vending on Etsy. An attractive part of Etsy is you can surf for hours at the wide assortment of jewelry without having to stress about a salesperson actively trying to sell it to you. You can riff though on your own sweet time and shop when it is most convenient for you.
If you are shopping for handmade jewelry, you might consider simply doing a Google search for jewelry designers and artists. Lots of people peddle their wares directly to the consumer through individual websites. These websites are generally a bit difficult to uncover, but they can have a plethora of handcrafted jewelry and other crafts. One more favorable reason to buy directly from an artist’s website is you increase your chances of talking an artist into making a special piece that is designed specifically for you. You would have to shell out a lot of money, doing this offline. Online, however, there are tons of low prices and bargains to be had! There are lots of ways to get homemade jewelry without having to spend money. Trading for it is the easiest way to get this. To “purchase” the work you like, offer to trade your own work or some of your time. You do not have to limit yourself to just one trading technique. Try out a few different types of trading to see which method works best. You could discover that you really like trading your own jewelry and turn it into a full time job!
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Do you enjoy jewelry? Do you stick to one type of piece? Do your friends often ask you to make handmade jewelry for them? Many people have discovered that hand crafted jewelry is the best way to get accessories that are unique. Some people get so attached to the idea of having unique jewelry that they learn how to make it themselves. Obviously, being the only designer of your jewelry is less that stimulating. Here are a few other ways to get handmade jewelry.
An effortless way to shop for handcrafted jewelry is to attend craft fairs. Many local artists will set up booths to peddle their wares. Some people turn their nose up at the thought of attending a craft fair to shop for jewelry because they think the jewelry is probably not as good as store bought items. Ordinarily, this is not the circumstance. More often than not the jewelry you find at a craft or art fair is of premium quality (the fairs are usually very particular in who they will admit for showcasing. Another reason to shop at craft and art fairs is that the jewelry here is usually much cheaper than you would ever pay if you had a piece commissioned specifically for you. Another way to get handmade jewelry without spending any money is to sell on your own stuff through auction sites or on Etsy. Ebay and Etsy are two of the most popular sites if you want to sell your stuff. Almost everybody knows what Ebay is. Ebay will mostly help you get free jewelry by earning you money that you can then turn around and use on the pieces you want but Etsy is a great place to find designers who are willing to do straight across trading. Most designers will sell through Etsy to earn extra cash but there are also some who enjoy the trading process. If you see something that you like but don’t have money on hand for right now, ask the seller if he or she wouldn’t mind trading with you instead. This way you only have to pay for shipping when you send the piece out to the trader!
Just about the best way to fill your jewelry box with handmade jewelry without having to spend a whole bunch of money on expensive pieces is to learn how to make it yourself. Obviously the best resource is the internet! The internet is full of instructional sites and videos to teach you how to make your own jewelry. The best way to figure out how to make the jewelry you like the most is to watch a video of someone else making the same piece. Lots of people think that it is easier to learn from a video than it is to learn from text. There are videos that will teach you how to make jewelry all over the internet!
Handmade jewelry can make any outfit more dazzling. Anybody can buy a necklace at a department store. Handmade jewelry shows that you care enough about your accessories and fashion to seek out the very best pieces. It shows that you want your ensemble to be unique and that you don’t want to simply wear the same jewelry that everyone else wears. Handmade jewelry is also often cheaper and easier to obtain than a one of a kind piece that is commissioned through jeweler shops and the like.
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Most people when they consider of beading automatically consider of beading jewelry. Even though this may be the most common use of beads, so many other tasks accessible are made wonderful via beading. Beading is growing in popularity and so it is no wonder that people are trying to find beneficial info to begin and purchase supplies. These are the most effective places to begin.
Beadwork Journal may be the greatest location to obtain info and tasks on beadwork. As the name implies, the journal is totally dedicated to crafts beadwork. The journal will assist beginners obtain easy tasks too as guide the more advanced. The very best part with the journal may be the many tasks outlined in every issue. There are material lists and a full set of instructions. Beadwork Journal also has a web site that has additional totally free tasks accessible. The web site even offers a section dedicated to upcoming beadwork shows and expos. In case you visit the Beadwork Journal web site, you’ll be able to receive a totally free trial issue to check it out and decide whether to subscribe or not. Chances are that you might be hooked and subscribe correct away.
Beadworks.com may be the greatest online shopping for beadwork supplies. They promote every imaginable kind of bead including glass, ceramic, valuable gemstone, valuable metal, and even bone among others. They also promote the important tools and supplies including thread and clasps. The inventory of beads is virtually overwhelming, but also ensures you might obtain something to suit your need. Beadworks.com also sells beadwork kits, beadwork patterns, and beadwork books. They promote both retail and wholesale. One with the greatest parts of Beadworks.com may be the beadwork group. This really is a location where beadwork artists can obtain info, solve issues, and share thoughts. Beadworks.com may be the greatest location to purchase all crafts beadwork supplies.
When you’re just starting out beading, the most effective location to begin is at a local or chain craft store. There you might obtain beadwork beads, beadwork patterns, beadwork books, and beadwork kits. The kits are a excellent method to begin mainly because they will include some with the important tools. That way if crafts beadwork doesn’t work out for you, you haven’t spent lots of funds on supplies. Beadwork patterns are also a beneficial location to begin. Even though you may possibly hope to produce custom beadwork at some point, beadwork patterns will teach the basics and help you consider of your own project thoughts. Practice makes perfect.
Beadwork Journal, Beadworks.com and local craft stores are the most effective places to glimpse for all beadwork equipment and info. Beadwork has become extremely well-known thanks to the wonderful tasks that can be created. Have fun with such a rewarding hobby!
In case you decide to make producing beadwork jewellery into a company then make sure you get your finances setup correct from the beginning. You possibly can obtain custom beadwork software to help you sort everything out. Look for software that helps keep track of stock, assists in pricing finished pieces, keeps customer records, produces labels and other printed material so you glimpse professional, keeps track of your favorite suppliers. Some can even store design thoughts in it. Its absolutely a worthwhile investment if you’re serious about a beading company. Click here for more info: beadwork software
