Jewellery blog give away, January 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2013.

Just a quick note to say, 

I will be holding a blog give away for the month of January 2013.

Keep checking here for what you have to do and on my Facebook page for links and info.

Panda Picture Pendant.

Recently I designed and made a few fired decal pendants. 

The images ranged from the Tree of Life to a Phoenix silhouette. One was a Panda walking through long grass fired into a beautiful earthy green streaky glass. It measure about 1"3/4" x 3/4". 

Panda on streaky green glass pendant

When I had finished the pendant it reminded me so much of the WWF logo. This was not done on purpose but just one of those happy accidents.

Can you see the similarity 

Maybe it's just me! lol

Anyway, you can adopt this Panda Picture Pendant for £15 plus £3 p&p.

Contact me via my Facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/SteveSmithJewellery

or via email:

stevesmithjewellery@yahoo.co.uk

My Do's and dont's on How to make very small Dichroic glass cabochons for Stud Earrings

Here is my "how to" post on make very small Dichroic Glass Stud Earrings.

First things first, the reason:

I do quite a few craft fairs and we have a studio open five days a week and I have had parents ask if I can make very small stud earrings so there kids can wear them at school. It didn't take me long to have a go and this is my short story.

First, I cut long thin strips of dichroic glass on my home made glass cutting device. These are about 1/8" wide by about 4" long. This can be tricky and breaking glass so narrow is quite hard sometimes. But I carry on and cut a few of the strips from different dichroic sheets.

My home made glass cutting tool

The next task was to use this great tool I bought this year. It's a mosaic nibbler. It makes life so much easier :o) 

Mosaic Nibbler

I must mention the tile that the glass is placed on to fire MUST be coated with about five layers of kiln wash. If you don't do this the glass will stick to the tile and either the cabochon will break when removed or the tile will get damaged when removed. Either way not a good idea. So, don't cut corners and kiln wash the tile.

Cut dichroic glass ready for firing.

The tile is then placed in the kiln and temperature's are set for rampeing, holder and annealing.

Glass being fired, this is about 770 degrees C

Glass being fired, this is at full fusing temperature of 804 degrees C

Once the glass has fused and then annealed. It's left to reach room temperature. Here are the small cabochons once cooled and removed from the kiln.

Cooled cabochons straight from the kiln.

I had bought special solid silver stud earring posts for these stud earrings and set about gluing them on. It took ages and the only way to keep them upright was to place them in a bed of sand until dry.

Silver posts glued and drying in a bed of sand

Unfortunately, due to my stupid old brain. I had ordered the wrong earring post. The cabochons were just too big for these so after a few profanities I ordered slightly bigger posts and replaced these small ones for the bigger ones.

Leaving these to dry for at least 48 hours. I then presented them on my personalised backing card and here are the finished small stud earrings.

And that's about it, well apart from finding buyers and making more!

I love it when a plan comes together :o)

If you like to see more of my creations, click on the shop link at the top of this blog or click the Facebook link at the top of the blog. You will find jewellery ranging from cuff links to USB pendants. My stock is always changing to if you like my work why not add this page to your favourite list.

The making of Harliquin dichroic glass pendant jewellery

Whilst making these round pendants of dragon eyes and cats eyes. To be fixed as pendants and bracelet cabochons. I have lots of very small off cuts from corners. These off cuts can be  very expensive and nothing goes to waste so I decided to use them for a new 

Harlequin design pendant idea I've had for a while.

More about these cats eyes and dragon eyes on a future blog post.

Here you can see the basic pear drop design, very rough but it should smooth out in the kiln.

Lots of corner off cuts placed together to form the basic shape. This dichroic glass in 2mm thick so the top glass had to be 4mm thick. 

The simple glass firing rule is always in the  front of the mind. 

"Glass wants to be 6mm thick and round. "

Well I wanted that thickness but did not want it round so I made sure the firing soak time was not too long. I decided through experience for that to be 4 minutes. (If your interested. lol)

And now, after cooling. The fired cabochon, straight out of the kiln. As I expected, all nice and rounded edged but still in the shape I wanted. A pear drop or tear drop pendant shape.

I then glued a bail on using E6000 glue and did not touch it for 48 hours. A lesson learnt from fiddling with glued items before this time had lapsed which proved unforgiving. As in, it fell off! lol

Here it is in all it's fine glory. 

My first

Dichroic Glass Harlequin Pendant

 

 I am really please with the finished piece. I never quite know what is going to come out of the kiln until it's done it's thing. But as long as enough thought has been put into it, it's usually ok. Although, I do have a small tub with mistakes and designs that just didn't work. 

These, as I have said earlier will be used at some time in the future as I don't like to throw any glass away.

 If you want this unique pear drop harlequin pendant for £15 plus £3 p&p 

then contact me via email: 

stevesmithjewellery@yahoo.co.uk

or

My facebook page: www.facebook.com/SteveSmithJewellery

or

leave a comment on this blog post

Thank you

:o)

Win a Dichroic Glass pendant - FREE blog giveaway

Yes, you have read that right.
To be drawn on October 29th 2012 at 9pm BST (inclusive).
I'm offering you the chance to win this  beautiful citrus coloured dichroic glass pendant. Absolutely FREE....

This unique Glass Pendant measure approximately 1"1/2" x 1" plus the silver plated bail. Created and Kiln fired at our studio in Northallerton. This FREE gift will be presented in a bright hot pink presentation box. And this giveaway also includes FREE postage, so there are no catches or hidden charges.
All you have to do is share www.stevesmithsjewellery.blogspot.com on your blog or facebook page and mention my work, become a facebook fan on my page and leave a comment on this blog post to say you have done so. 

(Please read the short rule list)

and that's it.

To see my other creations visit my website www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk

Rules: (all three must be done)
1.Share this www.stevesmithsjewellery.blogspot.co.uk on your your own blog or facebook page and mention me and my creations in your post.
2.Become a facebook fan by liking my page at https://www.facebook.com/SteveSmithJewellery
3.Leave a comment under this blog post.

The winner will be selected by using random.org. The winner will be notified through the comments section and the winning can then email his or hers address for posting. The winning share will be checked to make sure the share has been done before notification.

A unique two sided dichroic glass pendant set in sterling silver band.

A unique two sided dichroic glass pendant. Set inside a solid silver band and hung on a solid silver 16" chain.

The dichroic glass is a gorgeous crinklised turquoise colour and is set in both sides of the silver band. 

 The silver used for this is not stamped but I can assure you it is 925 solid silver. I know this because I soldered and set the band.

You can buy this unique turquoise double sided dichroic glass pendant for 

£60 free p&p 

by contacting me on 

stevesmithjewellery@yahoo.co.uk

If you would like any more information on this then please contact through the above email or leave a message on this blog post.

Darlington Sunday Peoples Market

Another great day at the Darlington Sunday Peoples Market. 

Lots of happy smiling people and the Sun shone and shone all day. 

This event is on every first Sunday of the month and is organised by the team at DSPM, brian has been our main contact and we just met Samantha, another key member of the team. Sorry I don't know the rest of the people by name. 

This event has been one of the best advertised and organised event I have done and really look forward to doing more of them, even in the cold winter months!

www.facebook.com/dspmsundays

 Sunshine, people and quality traders, what more is needed.

www.facebook.com/dspmsundays

 It was about late morning and who should turn up. Two lovely friends of ours, Emj and Maz. Such lovely people. Although I got very nervous when Sue, Emj and Maz started to rearrange my pendants in there boxes. It did look better when they finished but I was like a cat on a hot tin roof. I can be quite protective of my creations.

www.facebook.com/dspmsundays

Here's a great picture of the clock tower seen from about half way through the market. I think it show the town as a vibrant, clean and community spirited town.

www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk/

And just because I love showing off my stall here's my best picture of my jewellery display (well in my eye's anyway) from the day.

Thank you again to Sue (my lovely partner), Emj, Maz, DSPM team, the Sun 

and not forgetting our friendly customers, who are always welcome. :o)

Small Dichroic Glass Stud Earring Jewellery

As mentioned in a previous post, 

here are the Small Dichroic Glass Stud Earring Jewellery. 

These pictures were taken straight after firing in the kiln. To keep the cabochons on the small side I fired them without top glass. This gives a new dimension to the colours and designs. With blue's, green's, red's and multi-colours, they are going to look stunning when worn.

 These last four pairs are my favourites, although I really like them all. Its just how the colour and crinkled affect they have. Cant wait to see these on display at a show and see what other people think of them.

Don't forget to look at my website for my other designs www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk

and dont forget to drop in and see us at the studio in Northallerton or my next show at Darlingtons Sunday Peoples Market on the 7th October 2012.

https://www.facebook.com/dspmsundays

Where you will find all those special gifts. Price's to suit all and great people to chat to.

Large 1" + Dichroic Glass Cabochon Bracelets

Here are just a few of my latest designs. They are a silver plated bracelet set with a large dichroic glass cabochon. The glass measures over 1" in diameter. 

 I have been very busy in the studio this past week and have designed and made quite a few new pieces. Many of these will be listed on my website. And if you are in the Darlington area on the 7th October 2012 then come and see what the colours really look like in natural light.

Hope to see loads of people on the day, all getting the Christmas presents sorted.

Unique small stud earrings, a problem solved.

Over the past few years I have been asked on many occasions for smaller stud earrings than that of what I already make.

I haven't got around to doing this until the other day when a young girl came into the studio and really loved my jewellery but wanted something smaller to wear at school. I asked, can you give me about half an hour and I will see what I can come up with.

After scratching my head again (ooops that's a bit more on the hair loss lol). I got out the required coloured glass, cutting board and gas torch. I found that a 1/4" square of 3mm dichroic melted into a nice round shape.

And here is the finished pair, quite nice if I say so myself and the customer was over the moon with them. And all for a fiver!

Anyway back to the problem solving.

This weekend I decided to do some more of these small stud earrings, as I had just bought some special small posts for them (that's another story).  The first step was to cut quite a few 1/4" square diachroic glass pieces in different colours and set them on the firing tile along with a repair job on some devitrified bracelet cabochons I had made last week. I will have a chat about devitrification at some other point but most glass workers know about it. Set the kiln going and waited for the heating cycle to finish.

This was my view, well at least it warmed the studio up......

As you can see, small cabochons at the front and the large bracelet cabochons at the back. When these had annealed and cooled it was time for gluing the posts on. 

I normally glue and then stand dichroic side down until dry but with these they kept falling over. So, after some more head scratching. I came up with a very quick and easy solution (to me anyway). A tray of sand to sit the small dichroic glass stud earring on there head in. Here's another picture to show you what I mean

As you can see, all lined up with the posts glued on and I wont be able to touch them for at least 48 hours because I use E6000 glue. This glue is amazing but don't even think about touching the glued item for this 48 hours period as it wont be stuck. One issue with this method of drying time storage is DON'T knock or budge the tray, because they will fall over and you will have to spent the next hour or so standing them upright again. If any sand grains get stuck on the glue they should come off once dried (I hope).

Anyway, problem solved, dichroic glass stud earring the would stand up to dry, now sits in a bed of sand to dry. Job done.

Once these have dried I will be listing a few of them on my this blog and my facebook page at 

https://www.facebook.com/SteveSmithJewellery

and eventually on my website:

http://www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk/

Bracelets set with a unique Dichroic Glass Cabochon.

Unique, one of a kind, or what ever you would like to call them. 

All my jewellery creations are individual. No two are the same and that goes for these bracelets as well. 

Each glass cabochon is designed and created to fit the bracelet.

If you would like to see more of my creations then please visit my website at

www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk

Or if you are in the Darlington area on the 7th October 2012 I will be selling from a stall at 

Darlington, Sundays People Market 11am to 4pm. 

Come along and see my jewellery stall, food stalls, clothe stalls and much more at this amazing Sunday market.

I hope to to see you at the Market.

Green Dragons Eye Bracelet. A unique gift!

One of my latest creations is this Green Dragons Eye Bracelet. The Dichroic Cabochon measure about 1" and is set on a silver plated bracelet.

I have included lots of pictures from different angles to try and show the different colours and design. The pictures were taken on a mirror to increase light so dont get confused, it is only one eye. lol

This Green Dragons Eye Bracelet is £15 plus £3 p&p

This bracelet can be bought by simply emailing me at stevesmithjewellery@yahoo.co.uk alternatively you can take a look at my other work on my web site at www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk.

Really looking forward to getting the kiln started again to make some more.