Free Project - Art Heart Bangle

 A recent collaboration with Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio allowed me the opportunity to play with some of her copper patina heart beads. I was delighted to find that large hole bead slides easily onto heavy gauge wire that I could then design a hammered bangle around! 

Tools & Materials
12" Ruler
Wood or steel bracelet mandrel
Flush cutter for 14 gauge wire
Jewelers file in medium rasp
Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Steel bench block
Ball peen hammer
1 - 11" piece of pure copper wire in 14 gauge
1 - Copper Patina Heart Bead by Starry Road Studio
1 - 10" piece of 20 gauge copper wire

Optional for patina;
Ocean Blue Patina
Indigo Patina
Paint brush
Sealer


 Step 1. Cut the 11" piece of 14 gauge pure copper wire and round the cut ends of wire with your jewelers file.

 Step 2. Push the 11" piece of wire around the bracelet mandrel, at the 2.5" diameter section. Hammer the wire into bangle shape with the ball peen hammer, turning the bangle as you hammer to create a neat and tidy circle. Expect to have an over lap of about 2" each side at the ends of the wire. Remove the 14 gauge copper from the bracelet mandrel and hammer it on the sides of the wire against your bench block. This will help flatten the bangle and create a clean line on the wearers wrist.

 Step 3. Start the bottom swirl of the bangle with the round nose pliers tip, forming the smallest loop you can at the right hand side, outwards, at end of the 14 gauge bangle. Switch to the flat nose pliers to add more swirl, clamping down on the tiny loop with the flat nose securely in your right hand while you push the wire down with your left hand, towards the side of the blades of the flat nose pliers.  Stop when your bottom swirl is approximately 1/2" across and hammer the front of your swirl with your ball peen hammer against the bracelet mandrel for texture and strength.

 Step 4. Slide the heart bead onto what is now the top wire of the bangle and push it back approximately 1.5" to give yourself room to form the top swirl embellishment. Once again, use the round nose pliers to form a tiny loop at the end of the wire, then switch to the flat nose pliers to continue the decorative swirl as described above.
Be careful with your flat nose pliers and ball peen hammer around the ceramic bead, keep it away from your metal working tools as you form your swirls and bangle. Once the swirl is to your liking, push the bead to other side of the bangle and hammer the front of it against the bracelet mandrel as you did the bottom swirl. 

 Step 5. Wire wrap the ceramic heart into its place with the 10" piece of 20 gauge copper wire. Push the heart bead up against the swirl embellishment.  Mark 3" into the 10" piece of copper wire and wrap this 3" around the 14 gauge bangle, 3 to 4 times, tightening the wire against the 14 gauge base to hold the heart bead, facing forward, tight against the swirl. Push the remianing length of the wire behind the heart bead and cross over to the opposite side to begin wrapping this side of the heart. Wrap 2 to 3 times and stop.

Step 6. Pull your wire through the bangles bottom swirl, right where the base of the swirl begins, pull tight with your flat nose pliers and press the wire down across the top of the bottom swirl. Continue wrapping, going behind the swirls, up into the top swirl and around to the back 2 to  3 more times, pressing into place with the flat nose pliers at each wrap. Keep this wrapping tight as it holds the 2 hammered swirls together.

Step 7. Wrap the 20 gauge wire around the base of the 14 gauge bangle base on the outside of the double swirl embellishment and trim away any excess wire. Press the cut end into the bangle with your flat nose pliers and file the end smooth. Reshape your bangle against the thinner area of the mandrel with light blows, careful not to break the heart bead.

Step 8. I added a patina treatment of traditional ocean blue with a paint brush and then washed over it with dye oxide indigo to add a better contrast between the blue green of the ceramic heart bead. But this is step is optional and the pure copper bangle is beautiful with antiquing and brush finishing.

Thank you for visiting us here at ABS and I hope you enjoyed your free project!
Shannon LeVart

missficklemedia.com

Free Project - Lily's Midnight Tryst

 

Using this Twilight Lily bead by Heather, you can create a  romantic accessory perfect for an evening out with your partner.  The deep blue colors paired with tiny crystals evokes a midnight tryst under the sparkle of stars and an air heavy with the perfume of lilies.

Tools and Materials

Bead board or Ruler

Scissors

Wire cutter

Chain nose pliers

Round nose pliers

Humblebeads Twilight Lily Bead 

Faceted Black Tourmaline from kandubead.etsy.com

11- 4mm clear crystal bicones

11 - 22 gauge antiqued copper headpins

1 - 5" - 20 gauge antiqued copper headpin 

25" - 22 gauge antiqued copper wire

6 - 8mm Ghost White patina copper beads

6 - 16mm Indigo Hammered Links

1 - 8mm antiqued copper jump ring 

1 - 26mm copper toggle clasp

8 - 4mm antiqued copper jump rings

24" - Dark Blue leather cording from lilysoffering.esty.com

Step 1. Start your design by building from the focal bead up to the pre-determined measurement. The necklace shown measures 19" in length with the focal Twilight bead and faceted Tourmaline adding a 2" center drop. The focal bead needed to be centered at the 9" mark on the bead board with the remaining beads laid out in an estimation of what was needed to fill the determined measurment.

Step 2. Slide the Twilight Lily bead onto the 5" long 20 gauge antiqued copper headpin, form a loop at the top and wrap the extra wire around the top of the bead to close it. The extra long headpin will create a nice messy wrap at the top.  Cut 1 - 5" piece of 22 gauge antiqued copper wire and create a loop on one end with your round nose pliers, approximately 3" into the wire, dependent on the size of faceted tourmaline you are using. Wrap the loop closed, trim away the excess wire and press the cut end into the wire-wrapping. Slide the faceted tourmaline onto the wire and form a second loop under the bead, stopping before you wire-wrap it closed so you can slide the open loop onto the Twilight Lily beads top loop. Close the wire-wrapped loop so the Twilight Lily bead is now suspended from the faceted black tourmaline.

Step 3. Begin creating wire-wrapped connectors with the Ghost White patina beads with 6 - 4" pieces of 22 gauge antiqued copper wire, closing each loop with wire-wrapping and trimming away any excess wire. You should have 6 white beads with 2 loops on each. Open the 8mm antiqued copper jump ring and insert 2 of the wire-wrapped Ghost White patina bead connectors into the jump ring. Close the jump ring onto the top loop of the faceted black tourmaline. 

Step 4. Alternate connecting the Ghost White patina beads with the Indigo links by using smaller jump rings to attach the beads loops to the 16mm links. You should have 4 Indigo links separated by 6 of the  Ghost White beads. Once the necklaces center piece is assembled, you can wire-wrap the clear crystals to the Ghost White bead loops using the 22 gauge antiqued copper headpins. Add 1 crystal to each bottom loop of the Ghost White connector loops. Add 5 crystals to the top loop of the Twilight Lily bead so they are grouped around the messy wire-wrapped bail, in between the faceted black tourmaline and the Twilight Lily bead.  

Step 5. Cut 2 - 12" pieces of 2mm dark blue leather cording. Thread one of the 12" pieces through the last loop of the left side of the Ghost White connector beads. Cut a 3" piece of 22 gauge antiqued copper wire. Place the center of the wire over the doubled leather approximately 1/4 of an inch from the bead connector loop. Twist the wire over the leather cording from the middle of the wire, pulling the wire around to the front and over itself several times to keep the doubled leather together. Press the ends of the 3" piece of wire into the wrap you just created so the wearer does not get scratched from the sharp end of the wire. Gather the 2 pieces of leather together and push them through the end loop of one side of the antiqued copper toggle clasp. Fold both the leather cords over and cut another 3" piece of 22 gauge antiqued copper wire. Bind the folded leather onto itself by wrapping from the center of the wire as you did previously with the lower area of the leather. Tuck the sharp ends under the wrapping and press the wrapping with your chain nose pliers to ensure a tight wrapping. Repeat this step for the right side of the necklace with the second piece of 12" dark blue leather and the opposite side of the copper toggle.

I hope you enjoy creating this ultra romantic necklace as much as did. 

Now. Where is a lily garden? I've got plans.... :)

Much Love & respect,

Shannon LeVart

missficklemedia.com

Studio Saturday with Shannon LeVart

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is commenter #6; ALICE!. Congratulations! You have won a set of Rose & Bird Buttons from Tari with Creative Impressions in Clay!

Send Tari an e-mail with your address and she will have these shipped out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Shannon LeVart at 

missficklemedia.com.

I am now posting to you from Florida!

 I am crazy busy setting up a work studio and fulfilling a few projects I committed to before moving, but we are settling in nicely. Visiting the ocean daily, signing the kiddos up for summer camps, making new friends and setting up a new work schedule. 

It is chaotic but thrilling! As if going through the mundane task of daily living is somehow transformed by the sound of pounding waves.

I would love to share my new work space with you;

Yep! I work outside!

I am usually up by 7 am; I oversee the kids during their morning chores and help them get ready for their various activities. I then walk to the BEACH, where I collect lots of sea offerings before heading home to start on whatever orders are waiting for me at the pool side work bench. 

Why, you could call me Captain Contentment, I am so happy right now!

Here is the view I work under in my atrium;

It is always like this. I think it has rained a total of 4 times since we have moved here.

Absolutely heavenly blue skies!

In addition to filling orders, I have been working on a new collection to present to a local shop. Inspired by artist Anahata Katkin's bohemian like girls, with their big hoop-de earrings, lush flowers and vibrant swirling colors!

Using patinas to add bold color to big metal discs that are then embellished with chain, beads and charms has been so much fun. I let go while creating this collection, the larger the metal, the more wildly satisfied I was! The longer the chain, the louder the jangle!

Even if the shop they are intended for doesn't accept them, I have had a great time trying on this new Lux Boho trend.

So what new thing has taken over your creative endeavors?

Have you surprised yourself with a new source of inspiration or are you remaining steady and true to what is near and dear to your heart? 

If you leave a comment on this post before next Saturday, you will be entered into a drawing to possibly win;

Your own custom colored Sea Gypsy Jewel Pendant!

These specially textured pendants are the perfect size to stack art beads in front of or dangle from the top. I would love to make you one next week if you want to participate in commenting. 

Thank you for visiting my Studio Saturday post!

Much Love & Respect,

Shannon

missficklemedia.com

Studio Saturday with Missficklemedia

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is Shirley! Congratulations! You have won a  Sassy pendant from Tari of Creative Impressions in Clay. 

Send Tari an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Shannon LeVart at 
Missficklemedia.com.

 So today is the 9th of April. I have been both dreading and looking forward to this day. Today we will be closing missficklemedia and placing the shop in vacation mode for up to 10 days. I have only closed the store twice since I first started my little shop in 2006 and both times were emergencies due to health issues. This time it is not an emergency, but it is necessary as we make our way down to Florida from Missouri for a 1,200 mile trek to our new shindig located in Satellite Beach!  This is a dream turned reality for my family and we are looking forward to a calmer, healthier way of life, living coastal.

 
 This move represents a major accomplishment and marks a period of overcoming in our lives. With so many obstacles to hurdle and uncertainties to bear, we are determined to move forward with our eyes fixed to the horizon, where sky meets sea.

While Mike fulfills his dream of diving and the kiddos enjoy their new pool, I will be constructing new items inspired by the sea, like these new Benthic Bowls;

  A tiny, copper ring dish, formed into the shape of a shell, treated with a combination of blue and green patinas for an ancient appearance. I would love to share one with one of you! In order to get your name in the drawing for one of these ring dishes next Saturday, please answer this question;

What would you do if you could not fail?

Robert H. Schuller

Robert is a big influence in my life. He tells us;

“High achievers spot rich opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately. Follow these principles and you can make your dreams come true.”

 

I know, this is heavy. You just want an art bead for Pete's sake!  But just give it a few minutes and let me know in comments, what would you do if you could not fail?

Much Love & Respect,

Shannon LeVart

missficklemedia.com