March 2nd 2015

What a few weeks!  Did you miss me?    Had to get the computer rebuilt and so I missed our chat.    I have now made arrangements so I won't leave you lonely again!

This weeks coffee assisted wandering across the inter webs included too many funny pet videos (don't judge me)  and a rehash of the melted silver in pine needles technique (my first few tries are ....not great) and research for a few custom orders.  When I started this adventure in jewelry I didn't even think about custom orders  but they come in and I am thrilled.    With Mothers Day approaching I have orders coming in and its so much fun figuring out how to put things together.    This afternoon I will be making up two more necklaces and two pairs of earrings to join the pretty pile of chiffon bags by my front door waiting on pickup and mailing!

I won't be making these however: http://youtu.be/e4A720TeqWc  Nope!  The top ten most expensive pieces of jewelry in the world are a little teeny tiny bit out of my range.    

I also wanted to fix up a ring that lost a stone...so practicing my setting techniques. This blog is good for that:

http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2012/07/25/intro-to-stone-setting-essential-tools-for-setting-stones-in-bezels-and-other-settings.aspx

And lastly I wanted to share my treasure hunt updates.  I was perusing FreeCycle and decided to post an ad asking for broken and unwanted treasures - and in return I would donate to the food bank.  And it worked!!   I have been the lucky recipient of quite a few bags of treasure and the Food Bank is getting its donations regularly.      Plus these kind folks get to declutter, and avoid landfill!  Win!!

I thought that was pretty sharp of me,   patting myself on the back and avidly waiting for yard sale season to start!   Do you have any ideas how I can source supplies?

Hope your March is off to a good start....I will be choosing a local charity to donate a Dawnings creation to for our March good will gesture.    Ideas?

Chat soon!
Dawnings

p.s.  Here are some of this weeks creations - available on Facebook or Etsy.

Sunday Feb 7 2015


What did we see on this mornings coffee round up?   Glad you asked!

Well, did you see these glorious gems and beads at the Tuscon show?   I am in awe of the (what seems to be miles of..) beads and sparkly things.  Check them out here:  http://www.tgms.org/show-2015/  I follow these guys on Facebook and am wondering how I get there next year!

And look at what this artist does with old tires!      http://yonghoji.com/db/?ckattempt=1

Toby Malms mother and child sculpture...me want!  His stuff is simple and elegant and eloquent  http://www.jernmalm.com


Do you like the delicacy of silver filigree?  

See how its done here:  http://youtu.be/pLShQYztBHI

Not sure I will ever try it but it really is beautiful!

Our new postings are up on Facebook - we had fun with bangles this week.  Let us know what you like?

Bangles, Bangles, Bangles! 

Remember the leather we recovered from the
furniture store....isnt it beautiful!

Here is what we made with it this week

Looking forward to chatting with you!


Dawnings

January 21 2015

Well it is 6am-ish on a Wednesday.   This weeks posting will include many bookmarks so I thought I would put a sneak preview here. When I started Dawnings I wanted to include a line of children activities or loot bags.  I don't know about you but I have no love for dollar store bags full of high colour, high sugar candy and plastic that breaks as soon as you play with it.  

So I thought, why not little kits - to make a necklace, a bracelet, a key chain or a bookmark?  An activity during the party and a party favour all in one!  I tested this out on a few of our friends children and they love making things they can keep.    A theme like animals or dragons,  a common colour to suit your party girl or boy!

And of course I have to test it out so thats what we did this week - tested the Bookmark Theory,  (doesn't that sound important!) My child and some of his friends put together some bookmarks with dragons, Chinese coins, little beads with turtles and skulls.    A great success!  My only regret is I didn't take pictures before they took them home!    

And you know we like to reuse things that otherwise get thrown away but we did buy these metal bookmarks new.   We are exploring ways to create them cost effectively (that leather I have springs to mind!)


Instructions are fairly simple;

1. Take the plain metal bookmark.
2. Select from whatever you can find - beads, chains, wires, findings, limo, mini figures.
3. Cut a piece of thick wire and using jump rings where needed attach the decorations to the bookmark.
4. Test it by gently pulling on it to ensure its really firmly attached.
5. Go find a good book and settle in your favourite reading nook!

And of course I had to get in on the action - see some of my creations below!

 Vintage green glass beads from a broken necklace 

Tiny glass bee - I never would have a use for him in my jewelry - so 

Im loving that I found him a home here!  There were a few of these in my treasure box - a lovely bright red cardinal, a bee, a little bug.    You can see them all on Sunday!

Success!  

This was a lot of fun to do with my child,   and his friends.     Think the loot bag thing will work?   Let me know in the comments!!
Ciao!
Dawn