Handcrafted Wire Findings

After making quite a few beads and then contemplating what they would look like as jewelry, I browsed pre-made findings online and just couldn't find anything I truly loved.  This is probably because I have no idea what I want the finished product to look like.  So, I purchased Handcrafted Wire Findings by Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson and tried creating my own.

Glass bead necklace with handcrafted wire findings

Not bad for a first try, except I used copper and copper turns your skin green.  Who knew?  Well, the statue of liberty and copper pennies and I guess I wasn't thinking.  But, I am really happy with the rustic curls of the metal next the shiny clean lines of the glass.  Here's a close-up of the clasp and some of the beads.

Handmade copper wire clasp and glass beads

Maybe I'll try silver next time.

Some Holiday Lampwork Beads

A friend is going to show me some basic jewelry making techniques.  She is bringing the wire and the tools and I'm bringing the beads.   It took all week for me to make them at my mega minor torch.  I really tried to create pairs so we could make earrings.  I hope she likes them...

Christmas Beads

After seeing them strung together, I am afraid they are too big for bracelets.

Fused Glass Cat

This fused glass cat was a custom order and is about 10 inches tall by 7 inches wide.  He has lots of textured fur and stripes.  I used bits of beautiful dichroic glass for both eyes and the nose.  The background has 3 wild flowers with some frit shading.  This piece hangs from two metal jump rings fused into the top and a piece of white grosgrain ribbon.  The cat was fired to a contour fuse, so you can really feel the texture.  I used Bullseye striker glass for the cone flower petals and love how the color turned out.  Even the yellow petals of the black eyed susans seem to pop against the transparent yellow background.  Maybe a fused glass dog is in my future!

Fused Glass Cat