Dragon eye, Triple Moon Goddess and Moon Gazing Hare Pendants

Some of the jewellery I have designed and made using a 

Dremel 300, flexi cord and diamond tip.

I do sometimes go off on a different path, not for long but just to have a go. And quite often I get the Dremel out, attach the flexi cord with a small diamond cutter and have a go at grinding some images in the dichroic glass before firing them.

   

 Here are a few of my designs. A Dragons Eye and A Triple Moon Goddess.

All of these and more can be found on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stevesmithjewellery

There lots of albums to look through from Mosaic Pendants to Picture Pendants and Glass Stud Earrings to Hair Clips. All unique and made by me, in my studio of Sue Simpson of Inspiredbyscript.co.uk

I am sure the Dremel will reappear again soon as I have many design ideas in my head that I just never get time to do. Really must get a book and jot them down.

Thanks for reading and I hope you call back soon

Steve :o)

Not Fashion Jewellery, more of a statement piece! LOL

Just thought I'd have a bit of a laugh.

Here's a pendant that went a bit wrong, it's MASSIVE. Even the fairy looks like she has been on the same  diet as me lol.

It started off as two pendants, one with a fairy decal on transparent blue glass and the second was a very dull white pendant, where I put the dichroic on the wrong way. ooops. Well we all make mistakes and thats how we learn.

 Thanks to my wonderful Sue of www.inspiredbyscript.co.uk for modelling it for me.

Now if any one would like such a hug ring then please contact me at stevesmithjewellery@yahoo.co.uk but I wont be offended if I get no takers :o)

Anyway more stories from a alchemist soon.

Thanks for reading

Steve :o)

Making of Fashion Jewellery, Part 1.

I thought I would share with my readers how some of my fashion jewellery is made.

I should start off at the beginning, the problem a couple of years ago was that I wanted to hand fired very small pieces of glass but the cost of gas bottles, tubing and burner was just crazy for my shallow pockets. 

I then had a brain storm or something. I bought a very cheap butane gas torch from the local supermarket. You know the type, it's the one that you use in the kitchen for burning the sugar on deserts. mmmm now where's the pudding we promised ourselves tonight. lol

Anyway, I'll try and type while salivating :-)

To start with I used my trusty mosaic cutter and cut a few 1/4" square chunks of Dichroic glass. Then place them on a old broken (doesn't have to be broken but I know there is always a use for everything at sometime) tile, raised it off my workbench and set the gas alight. 

oooowwww fire! man always likes playing with fire :o)

I think these picture explains it far better than my words except that's it's really great fun to do and the glass transforms in front of your eye's.

Finished cabochons in the background and on in the process of being hand fired.

As above but from a different angle

and again.

I just love my Alchemy!!!!

You might be wondering what these very small cabochons are going to use for. Well some get used for small stud earrings but these were destined for double cabochon rings. 

And here's one that I've just made:

I think the outcome is really amazing and when you see it on someones finger they look even better.

This form of hand firing is really satisfying, you are more interactive with the glass. Watching it flow in different directions as you change the direction of the heat.

Making Fashion Jewellery, Part 2 will follow in a few weeks so please call back and if you have any questions leave a comment and I will get back to you, with a answer if I can or directions on where to find that answer.

Thanks for reading

Steve :o) 

Fashion Jewellery, Earrings, Bracelets, Rings and Pendants

I have suddenly realised that my jewellery designs fall within the fashion jewellery market. Here are just a few of my designs, all are unique and cannot be replicated although similar one's are made by me.

The first picture shows a bracelet with Celtic key design around a beautiful Dichroic Glass Cabochon. Which has been ground to look like the eye of a cat or dragon. I am still undecided on this. lol.

This next picture shows how different a mosaic pendant can look if cut and fired in a certain way. These are made in a two firing process where I, although have an idea how they will lokk I am not exactly sure how they will turn out after the second firing. The outcome in my eye's are quite Romanesque but you may think different. lol 

Here is one of my new range of hand fired dichroic glass cabochon set on a silver plated ring. When I first made these, I thought they looked quite good but it wasn't until I saw them on a lady's finger when I thought "WOW they look great" 

This next picture has been included, just to show off I think :o) After designing and making glass jewellery for a few years now. I still love the outcome and want to show it to everyone.

Here you can see the swirl affect of Dichroic Glass etching. I have designed and made quite a few pendant now but don't very often list etched pendants as they sell too quickly but I thought I would with this one. It's the same glass, believe or not. But the glass has been cut down the middle, one side reversed and fired. You can see from this pendant how different the same piece of glass looks from different angles. That's the fun or Dichroic Glass :o)

 And here we have a gorgeous pair of stud earrings set on 925 solid silver posts and backs. The picture does not do them justice, If you have not seen Dichroic glass jewellery before, you need to see it in real life. The colours just sparkle and change when you look at them at different angles.

 For my last picture on the blog post I have set small hand fired dichroic glass cabochons set on a silver plated bracelet. The design of this reminds me of the Art and Crafts Movement circa1900. I love the free flowing form and when the Dichroic glass sparkles, it just amazing.

Well that's about it for this post apart from. If you would like to see more of my designs and creations then you could either click on my Facebook link here: www.facebook.com/stevesmithjewellery If you click the like button on my facebook page and share the post the your friends they will see what you like and you may get the present you want. 

or click www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk for my website. Here you will find many more designs both for men and women.

Thanks for reading

Steve

New delivery Post Card Designs for Steve Smith Jewellery

Hi.

Here are just a few of my new delivery post cards for mail order customers. I have tried to find relevant poems to go with them. It took quite a while but I am really happy with what I found. Have a read and take a look and see what you think.

Fairy Decal Pendant jewellery

When next meet in the Fairy dell,

May the silver moon's soft light

Shine then the faces gay as now,

And Elfin hearts as light.

Now spread each wing,for the eastern sky

With sunlight soon will glow.

The morning star shall light us home.

Farewell! for the Elves must go.

Fairy song

By: Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

Tree of Life Pendant Jewellery

The oaks and the pines, and their brethren of the wood, 

have seen so many suns rise and set, 

so many seasons come and go, 

and so many generations pass into silence, 

that we may well wonder what 

"the story of the trees" 

would be to us if they had tongues to tell it, 

or we ears fine enough to understand.

  

~Author Unknown, quoted in Quotations for Special Occasions by Maud van Buren, 1938

Dragon Eye Pendant Jewellery

Gaze into a dragon's eyes

Go with him and sever ties

From tortured reality and a world so plain

Into the world where fiction reigns.

Dragon Eyes

By: Instantramen

Catitude Cat Pendant Jewellery

Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw -

For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.

He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:

For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!

Macavity - the Mystery Cat, by T.S. Eliot

Elemental Dragon Pendant Jewellery

My eyes have bore into the beginnings of time itself

My scales have proven dependable and indestructible 

Through too many conflicts 

Antagonised by man

And yet I lie over you

An Astral Warrior

An elemental protector

I will rush to you when you call

Sairys,Grael,Fafnir,Nailyon

I am all and all are but 

An atom of my greatness and ability

I will survive through the ages

Mighty and immortal

For I am known as serpent

Great conquer and warrior

Over all things

I am

Dragon

Hope you enjoyed the, it was certainly a journey for me LOL

If you would like to see more of these fired decal jewellery designs then please click on our Facebook link above.

Thank you

:o)

Salvador Dali Valentine Pendant, ooops

I thought I would give some of my readers a bit of a laugh. Well, it made me laugh at my stupidity anyway 

:o)

Here is a selection of pictures of the same pendant that went slightly wrong when fired. 

The lesson of the day was.

Check the glass after placing in the kiln to see if any layers of glass has slipped.

As you can see, a slippage happened and I did not spot it until after it came out the kiln.

I thought it looked like a Salvador Dali picture as a layer of glass had slipped, and slipped right  at the edge of the kiln tile where it dripped over the edge.

My selling brain tried to eye up a angle to see if it would work as a pendant but no matter at what angle I looked at it the answer was. NO WAY.

This is why it's ended up as a blog post. Chuckle away glass workers, we all make mistakes and that's how I learn! LOL. 

:o)

In fact everyone chuckle away, we all deserve a laugh at someone elses mistake sometimes.

 Hope you enjoyed that, I will return soon with some of my better creations.

Thanks for reading and if you would like to see my other work then click here https://www.facebook.com/SteveSmithJewellery

or on my website by clicking here http://www.stevesmithjewellery.co.uk/index.html

Win a unique piece of jewellery.

Yes, you have read that right.
This free give away will last for the month on January 2013
and will be drawn in the first week of Febuary 2013.
I'm offering you the chance to win this beautiful triple spiral golden yellow coloured dichroic glass pendant. Absolutely FREE....

This unique Glass Pendant measure approximately 7/8" x 7/8" plus the silver plated bail. Created and Kiln fired at our studio in Northallerton. this jewellery 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
or click on the Facebook tab above.

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.

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.